Lepaute 18K Gold and Enamel Openface Quarter Repeating Verge Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1770
Catalogued as signed by Lepaute a Paris circa 1770, this 30 mm openface pocket watch is cased in 18K gold. The back of the circular case features a polychrome painted enamel scene depicting 'The Temptation' after Herman Van der Myn, framed by a chased geometrically decorated bezel and pierced rim.
The source reports that the piece is powered by a gilt-finished verge movement with a chain fusée and finely pierced and engraved balance cock, offering quarter repeating on two hammers onto a bell operated through the pendant.
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
- Quarter repeating verge pocket watch
- Provenance
- The Sandberg Collection, Antiquorum, Geneva, 31 March 2001, lot 222
- Case Artwork
- "The Temptation" after Herman Van der Myn
- Complication
- Quarter repeating on two hammers onto a bell
- Case Diameter
- 30 mm
- Place recorded
- France
- Maker Signature
- Lepaute a Paris, No. 191, circa 1770
- Movement Details
- Gilt-finished verge movement, chain fusée, finely pierced and engraved balance cock
- Maker / attribution
- Lepaute
Design
- Visible features
- • Circular yellow gold case with chased geometric foliate borders and pierced perimeter sections • Polychrome painted enamel back panel depicting a woman seated before a dressing mirror being approached by an older man holding a purse • Straight cylindrical neck with a hinged oval pendant bow • Visible side hinge and catch button on the case perimeter
- Identity and Provenance
- Catalogued as signed "Lepaute a Paris, No. 191, circa 1770", this 18K gold openface quarter repeating verge watch measures 30 mm in diameter. The source highlights the piece for its small size relative to eighteenth-century repeating watches. The recorded provenance traces the watch to The Sandberg Collection, offered at Antiquorum in Geneva on 31 March 2001 as lot 222.
- Reported Dial and Movement Details
- The source describes the watch as featuring a white enamel dial with Roman numerals. The dial is not visible in the provided case-back photograph. Internally, the timepiece is reported to house a signed gilt-finished verge movement with a chain fusée and a finely pierced and engraved balance cock. The complication provides quarter repeating on two hammers onto a bell, operated through the pendant.
- Case Decoration and Visual Observations
- The case back displays a painted polychrome enamel scene depicting "The Temptation" after Herman Van der Myn. Directly observed, the scene portrays a woman seated in front of a dressing mirror being approached by an older man who is holding a purse. The circular yellow gold case is edged with chased geometrically decorated borders and pierced perimeter sections. Observable physical details include a side hinge, a perimeter catch button, and a straight cylindrical neck fitted with a hinged oval pendant bow.
Identification
- Serial number
- 191
- 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 white enamel dial and internal verge movement are not visible in the provided case-back photograph.
- Research required: Mechanical attributes, movement signature, and case numbering rely on source descriptions.