Musical pocket watch for the Chinese market
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1820
This musical pocket watch, created circa 1820 for the Chinese market, features a four-body Empire case in yellow gold, lavishly decorated with pearls and a painted enamel flower bouquet on an opalescent guilloche ground.
The watch houses a high-quality Swiss movement, attributed to Piguet et Meylan, which incorporates English-style features such as a single-footed balance cock. The movement is a sur-plateau musical train equipped with a fixed barrel and a pinned disc that plays music on the hour or on demand via a lever at the 11 o'clock position. The white enamel dial displays radial Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds, accompanied by gold poire hands.
The construction utilizes a jeweled cylinder escapement and includes a lever on the cuvette for music or silence control. The timepiece is sized at 62 mm in diameter, with the movement measuring 53.5 mm.
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
- Musical pocket watch
- Diameter
- 62 mm
- Escapement
- Jeweled cylinder escapement
- Movement Style
- English-style Swiss movement
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Case Decoration
- Painted enamel and pearls
- Maker / attribution
- Piguet et Meylan
- Serial Number (Case)
- 24/33
- Serial Number (Dial)
- 9124
- Serial Number (Movement)
- 32
Design
- Visible features
- • Case decorated with painted enamel floral bouquet and pearls • Dial features Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds • Lever at 11 o'clock for musical activation • Sur-plateau musical movement with 25 tuned steel blades
- Case and Dial Design
- The watch features a four-body Empire-style gold case, which is ornately decorated with pearl-set bezels and a matching pearl-set bow and pendant. The back cover opens on a hinge and is finished with an opalescent guilloche enamel ground, serving as a canvas for a meticulously painted bouquet of flowers. The decorative scheme includes a scallop-edged gold border, supplemented by white and pale green enamel lines. The white enamel dial features black radial Roman numerals and an outer minute track, with a large subsidiary seconds dial positioned below the center. It is fitted with gold poire hands. The case band features a distinctive coin-edge finish and a lever located at 11 o'clock, which is utilized to trigger the musical function.
- Provenance and Attribution
- This watch is attributed to the Geneva partnership of Piguet et Meylan, who were noted for their expertise in musical and automaton movements between 1811 and 1828. This strategy was common during this era, as goods associated with London were perceived by Chinese collectors to be of superior quality. The movement, dial, and case carry distinct identification numbers, indicating specific numbering sequences used during production.
- Movement and Musical Mechanism
- The watch is powered by a matte gilt movement measuring 53.5 mm, which operates on a jeweled cylinder escapement with a steel escape wheel. It incorporates a four-arm brass balance and a flat balance spring. The construction reflects English stylistic influence, notably seen in the single-footed balance cock, which was intended to cater to the specific preferences of the Chinese export market during the early 19th century. The sur-plateau musical train utilizes a large fixed barrel and a flat pinned disc. Sound is produced by 25 tuned steel vibrating blades that play against the rotating disc, activated by polished steel levers. A hinged gold cuvette protects the movement and provides access to winding apertures, alongside an integrated lever for switching between music and silence modes.
Identification
- Serial number
- 24/33
- 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: Maker attributed to Piguet et Meylan
- Research required: Possibly supplied to Ilbery or Charman