Unsigned Musical Quarter-Repeating Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1820s
This unsigned 18K pink gold pocket watch, dating to approximately the 1820s, features both musical and quarter-repeating complications. Designed with a sur-plateau musical movement, it is capable of playing music on the hour or on demand.
The case is set with pearls and incorporates a hinged gilt brass cuvette, which contains apertures for winding and a lever for selecting between silent and musical modes. The enamel work is attributed to Jean-Louis Richter of Geneva, and the movement is attributed to P&M. The watch is decorated with detailed enamel paintings, including a scene of figures at a temple on the dial and a riverside ceremony on the case back.
It measures 58mm in diameter and weighs approximately 164 grams. The watch is reported to have been created for the Chinese market during the 19th century.
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 1820s
- Type
- Musical & automaton watch
- Maker
- Unsigned
- Weight
- 164gr
- Diameter
- 58mm
- Case Number
- 9936
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Condition Report
- Overhaul recommended
- Enamel attribution
- Jean-Louis Richter
- Movement attribution
- P&M
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel ring dial with Roman numerals surrounding a central enamel painting • Outer bezel set with a border of small pearls • Hinged gilt brass cuvette featuring winding holes and a Silence/Musique lever • Case back displays an enamel painting of a riverside ritual
- Movement and Complications
- The watch features a two-train movement equipped with a sur-plateau musical mechanism. This complication allows the watch to play music on the hour or when activated by the user. In addition to the musical function, the piece provides a quarter-repeating complication for time indication. Access to the movement and the setting mechanisms is provided through a hinged gilt brass cuvette. This internal cover contains apertures for winding the musical and timekeeping trains and includes a protruding lever at the edge, which allows the user to switch the watch between silent and musical playing modes.
- Documentation and Condition
- The auction records categorize the watch as being in good condition overall, though the movement is noted as requiring an overhaul. The enamel work on the dial and case is attributed to the Genevan artist Jean-Louis Richter, while the movement production is linked to the firm P&M. The watch is noted to have been originally manufactured for the Chinese market. The provenance and assembly of the piece are presented through these source-attributed attributions.
- Case and Exterior Decoration
- The timepiece is housed in an 18K pink gold case measuring 58mm in diameter, embellished with a border of pearls. The watch is distinguished by its extensive use of miniature enamel painting. The reverse of the watch case contains a second enamel painting illustrating a complex narrative scene identified in the documentation as a riverside Dragon Boat Festival ritual. This tableau includes multiple participants, including musicians, officials, and attendants, set against a mountainous landscape and river scene with traditional boats.
Identification
- Serial number
- 9936
- 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 enamel painting is attributed to Jean-Louis Richter
- Research required: The movement is attributed to P&M
- Research required: The central dial painting's specific subject identification as Qu Yuan is speculative