Le Roy 'Le Lettre d'Amour' Enamel Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1760
This pocket watch, titled 'Le Lettre d'Amour' and attributed to the maker Le Roy, A Paris, is a Swiss-made timepiece dating to approximately 1760. The watch is constructed with an 18K gold, two-body 'Louis XV' style case.
The back of the case features a painted enamel country scene in the manner of Watteau, depicting a courting couple and a blackamoor servant delivering a letter, while the interior is decorated with a floral bouquet and the bezel displays a continuous landscape. The white enamel dial is marked with radial Roman numerals and an outer minute track featuring Arabic numerals at five-minute intervals. It is equipped with gold 'Louis XV' hands and a winding aperture positioned between the three and four o'clock markers.
The timepiece is driven by a 33 mm hinged, gilt brass full-plate movement featuring a verge escapement, fusee and chain, and a continental cock.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Painted on enamel pocket watch
- Maker
- Le Roy, A Paris
- Materials
- 18K gold and painted on enamel
- Case style
- Two-body, Louis XV
- Dimensions
- 44 mm diameter
- Escapement
- Verge escapement
- Movement size
- 33 mm
- Movement type
- Hinged, gilt brass full-plate
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Place of origin
- Swiss made
- Maker / attribution
- Le Roy
Design
- Dial and Hands
- The white enamel dial is configured with radial Roman numerals indicating the hours. The perimeter includes an outer minute track with Arabic numerals marked at every five-minute interval. A winding aperture is positioned on the dial face between the 3 and 4 o'clock positions. The time is displayed using gold 'Louis XV' hands. The auction documentation notes the inclusion of a service dial, which is recorded as being in fair condition, indicating that the current component may not be the original dial fitted at the time of manufacture.
- Visible features
- • The case back depicts a courting couple with a blackamoor servant. • The dial features a winding aperture located between the 3 and 4 o'clock positions. • The movement is a gilt brass full-plate type. • The bezel is decorated with a continuous landscape painting in enamel.
- Case and Enamel Decoration
- The pocket watch is encased in an 18K gold, two-body 'Louis XV' housing. The exterior reverse is finished with a detailed enamel painting that depicts a rural scene featuring a young man courting a lady, accompanied by a blackamoor servant who presents a letter to the woman. This scene is executed in the style of Watteau. The decorative scheme extends beyond the case back. The interior of the case is painted with a bouquet of flowers, and the bezel is painted with a continuous landscape design.
- Movement and Mechanical Details
- The watch operates on a 33 mm hinged, gilt brass full-plate movement. It utilizes a fusee and chain mechanism for power distribution and is regulated by a verge escapement. Further mechanical features include pentagonal baluster pillars, a micrometric potence adjustment, and a plain brass three-arm balance. Additional elements of the movement include a flat balance spring, a continental cock, and a silver regulator disc. The movement is signed. The technical state is described by the auction house as requiring an overhaul.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The exact origin of the painting style beyond 'in the manner of Watteau' remains an attribution.
- Research required: The auction description states 'Service dial' which may imply a historical replacement or restoration.