Pocket watch, gold enamel, Czapek & Cie, Geneva, 1850

A historically interesting Geneva gold enamel pocket watch with early crown winding mechanism, formerly owned by the Sicilian noble family Castelli von Torremuzza Case No. 3472, Dimensions 43 mm, circa 1850, Weight 69 g, Origin Schweiz Case: 18 K gold, florally engraved, polychrome enamelled coat of arms with castle tower and count's crown, motto "ALLICIT ET TERRET" (It allures and terrifies), florally engraved gold cuvette with polychrome enamelled portrait medallion of Gabriello Lancelotto Castelli, Prince of Torremuzza (1809-1894), originally from Palermo; the enamel medallion bears the signature of Gaspard Lamunière; inner lid with dedication engraving: "Al mio caro figlio rimembranza 1859" (To my dear son, in memory of 1859).

Dial: Enamel. Movm.: Bridge movement, lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance. According to information from Philip Poniz, New York, the watch is strongly reminiscent of François Czapek's production after he started his own business. Czapek used this ébauche, this winding and setting system, as well as this case and dial style. The watch dates to the second half of the 1850s, both stylistically and because of the mourning inscription inside the back cover. The serial number also corresponds to the late 1850s. In 1839, long before the company Patek Philippe existed, François (originally Franciszek) Czapek, a native of Poland, founded the watch manufactory Patek, Czapek & Cie in Geneva together with Antoine de Patek.

The cooperation ended some years later due to irreconcilable differences and from 1845 on Czapek produced high-quality timepieces for his aristocratic clientele under the name Czapek & Cie. In 1869 the company ceased trading for unknown reasons. The Counts Castelli chose the motto "Allicit et Terret" for their family crest. Descended from a dynasty of Franconian counts, they divided into several stirpes in Italy. Due to their exceptional competence many of their descendants reached high positions in the military, the church and the government. The crest at hand can definitely be ascribed to the Sicilian branch of the family, it is that of the Counts of Torremuzza (Palermo).

The illustration shows Gabriello Lancelotto Castelli from Palermo, Prince of Torremuzza (1809-1894), who was married to Princess Luisa della Trèmoille, a French lady from one of the noblest families of Poitou. The prince was Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus. In 1861 he was elected to the senator of Italy. He was secretary of the "camera dei pari" in the autonomous parliament of Sicily in 1848, and one of the best-known liberals in Sicily. After the end of the 1848 revolution Castelli spent many years in exile, some of them in Paris. Source: Filippo Guttuso, Direttore Biblioteca Comunale di Palermo. Gaspard Lamunière (1810–1865) was an enameller and enamel painter.

He was a pupil of J. Hornung and J. L. Lugardon and opened a studio in Rue du Rhône, where he worked with his wife and niece Louise Franel. At the age of 18, he exhibited a series of portraits in enamel and oil painting in Geneva. He taught François, known as Fanny Chatel.