Swiss Yellow Gold, Pearl, and Enamel Minute Repeating Chronograph Hunter-Case Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1900
Catalogued by Christie's, this Swiss manual keyless hunter-case pocket watch dates to circa 1900. Measuring 52 mm in diameter, the yellow gold case is embellished with enamel painting and pearls.
Christie's records a white enamel dial with a fifths-of-a-second circle and a mechanical movement featuring minute repeating and chronograph complications. The closed cover displays a miniature portrait of a fair-haired woman set against a rich blue ground and framed by white seed pearls.
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
- Dial
- White enamel
- Type
- Repeating watch
- Circa date
- 1900
- Case diameter
- 52 mm
- Case material
- Yellow gold, pearl and enamel
- Complications
- Minute repeater and chronograph
- Movement type
- Manual, keyless
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
Design
- Visible features
- • Front cover displays a painted miniature portrait of a woman against a royal blue guilloché enamel background, framed by floral sprigs. • Outer perimeter of the bezel is set with a continuous ring of seed pearls. • Ribbed yellow-gold winding crown is topped with a smooth, circular suspension bow. • A small hinge is visible on the left edge and an actuation button or pusher on the right edge.
- Identity and Attribution
- This hunter-case pocket watch is catalogued by Christie's with a Swiss origin and dated circa 1900. No specific manufacturer, workshop, or individual watchmaker is recorded in the auction listing, leaving its maker unattributed in this documentation. Christie's catalog title describes the timepiece as a yellow gold, pearl, and enamel minute repeating and chronograph pocket watch featuring a fifths-of-a-second circle.
- Reported Movement and Dial Details
- The watch dial, cuvette, and internal movement are not visible in the provided exterior photograph. Christie's records the dial as white enamel, with condition notes describing it as crisp, original, and slightly dirty consistent with age. The mechanism is recorded as a manual, keyless movement with minute repeater and chronograph functions. Christie's reported that the movement was ticking and the repeating function worked at the time of cataloguing, while noting that a service was required following prolonged lack of use.
- Case Construction and Decorative Exterior
- The case is catalogued with a diameter of 52 mm and constructed from yellow gold, pearl, and enamel. Direct visual observation of the closed hunter cover shows a painted miniature portrait of a woman against a royal blue guilloché enamel ground, framed by floral sprigs, with a continuous ring of seed pearls set along the outer perimeter of the bezel. Visible case hardware includes a ribbed yellow-gold winding crown topped by a smooth circular suspension bow, a hinge on the left edge, and an actuation button or pusher on the right edge. In its condition notes, Christie's reports that decorative enamel painting is present on both sides, with very slight chipping noted to the enamel in the middle part and one seed pearl missing at 7 o'clock on the case back.
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 watch dial, cuvette, and internal movement are not visible in the provided image.
- Research required: No specific maker name is recorded beyond the Swiss geographic designation.