Reuge The Gondoliers Musical Automaton Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1980s
This musical and automaton keyless pocket watch, produced by Reuge of Sainte-Croix in the 1980s, is a complex timepiece featuring an alarm and an integrated musical movement.
Housed in a 57 mm gold-plated, three-body bassine case, it features a reeded band and a hinged back cover decorated with an engraved musical trophy on a sunray background. The center-seconds timepiece is powered by a matte gilt, 17-jewel movement equipped with a straight-line lever escapement and an index regulator. A solid cuvette provides access to the music winding and activation mechanisms, and the alarm is set via a button positioned at 11 o'clock.
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
- 1980s
- Type
- Musical automaton pocket watch
- Maker
- Reuge
- Jewels
- 17
- Features
- Musical, automaton, alarm, center-seconds
- Case Diameter
- 57 mm
- Movement Type
- Matte gilt
- Serial Number
- 6157
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Maker / attribution
- Reuge
Design
- Visible features
- • Painted dial scene of the Venetian lagoon • Applied gilt metal automaton figures • Reeded case band detail • Alarm setting button at 11 o'clock
- Case and Dial Design
- The watch is presented in a three-body gold-plated bassine case, measuring 57 mm in diameter. The design includes a polished bezel and a reeded band, while the hinged back cover features a decorative engraving of a musical trophy set against a sunray background. An alarm-setting button is integrated into the case at the 11 o'clock position. The dial is a miniature painted landscape of the Venetian lagoon, featuring a sub-dial for timekeeping with Arabic numerals and gilt Breguet hands. The lower portion of the dial is adorned with applied gilt metal automaton figures showing a musician playing a guitar, a lady under an umbrella, and a gondolier. The mechanism creates movement in the musician's arm and the gondolier's rowing action, complemented by a moving boat in the background.
- Condition and Attribution
- The auction description reports the object is in overall good condition, with the case graded as very good and the movement as good. The hands are stated to be original to the piece. Attributed to the 1980s by the manufacturer, the piece belongs to the musical and automaton category produced by the Reuge workshop in Sainte-Croix.
- Movement and Mechanical Features
- The timepiece is driven by a matte gilt movement containing 17 jewels. It utilizes a straight-line lever escapement, a monometallic balance, a flat balance spring, and an index regulator for precision adjustments. A shock absorber is included within the movement structure to protect the balance staff. Access to the musical functions is controlled through a solid cuvette, which contains an aperture for winding the musical mechanism and a button for its activation. The movement is unsigned, though the dial and cuvette carry the maker's signature, indicating the integration of the complex automaton and musical train within the casing.
Identification
- Serial number
- 6157
- 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: Overhaul recommended by auction house
- Research required: Functionality of the moving automata not explicitly verified in text