Mandolin form watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1830
The object measures 64 x 31 mm and features a two-part case. The ribbed back displays white enamel panels with gold paillons alongside engraved gold foliage and musical trophies on a scarlet guilloche champleve ground, finished with black borders.
The sound board is decorated with enamel painted en camaieu, depicting figures within a landscape. A black enamelled keyboard is present, noted as a repair, while the head is pale blue with wire strings and gold keys. The watch is suspended by a chain. The dial is white enamel with Arabic numerals and a winding aperture at 2 o'clock, complemented by gilt Louis XVI hands. The movement is a gilt full-plate with a fusee, verge escapement, and a plain brass 3-arm balance.
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
- Date
- circa 1830
- Dial
- White enamel
- Type
- Form watch
- Maker
- Anonymous
- Dimensions
- 64 x 31 mm
- Escapement
- Verge
- Movement type
- Full plate with fusee
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Case decoration
- Enamel and gold
Design
- Dial and Hands
- The watch features a white enamel dial featuring Arabic numerals to indicate the time. The time is displayed via gilt Louis XVI hands. The overall aesthetic integration follows the mandolin theme, with the dial functioning as the functional center of the instrument's sound board area.
- Visible features
- • The watch features a winding aperture located at the 2 o'clock position on the enamel dial. • The exterior includes decorative wire strings attached to the pale blue head of the mandolin. • A decorative pierced grill covers the sound hole of the instrument.
- Movement and Configuration
- The internal mechanism is a gilt full-plate movement utilizing a fusee and chain to power a verge escapement. The balance is a plain brass 3-arm type with a flat spring and regulator. A notable feature is the mounting of the movement within the case. It is positioned upside down, an adjustment assumed to be made to facilitate easier viewing of the dial when the object is worn as a pendant. A Continental cock is visible through the instrument's sound hole. The movement is fitted inside the case in an inverted orientation.
- Case and Exterior Decoration
- The case is constructed in two parts and sculpted in the form of a mandolin. The ribbed back is ornamented with a combination of white enamel panels accented by gold paillons. This is complemented by sections featuring engraved gold foliage and musical trophies set against a scarlet guilloche champleve ground, framed by black borders. The sound board is finished with enamel painting en camaieu, depicting figures in a landscape setting. The mandolin's head is pale blue, incorporating gold keys and wire strings. A chain is provided for suspension. The keyboard section is composed of black enamel, which is identified as an old, executed repair.
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 keyboard section is reported as an old, executed repair.
- Research required: The maker remains anonymous, with the Swiss origin suggested rather than confirmed.
- Research required: The orientation of the movement is inverted from standard, which is attributed to utility for the wearer.