Centuries of Time: A Private Collection
Centuries of Time: A Private Collection
A fine and attractive gold, turquoise, pearl and ruby-set hunting cased cylinder watch made for the Ottoman market Circa 1845, no. 32555
Auction Closed
May 14, 02:23 PM GMT
Estimate
10,000 - 15,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Frederic Courvoisier, Chaux-de-Fonds
A fine and attractive gold, turquoise, pearl and ruby-set hunting cased cylinder watch made for the Ottoman market
Circa 1845, no. 32555
• Movement: frosted gilded bar-form, cylinder escapement, plain three-arm balance
• Dial: white enamel dial, Turkish numerals, outer minute ring, blued steel hands, secret signature beneath 12 o'clock, signed in Arabic script
• Case: gold, the covers each with eight swirling radiating panels of graduated pearls, interspersed by rows of similarly graduated turquoises, the front centred by a turquoise and ruby-set floral motif, the back with central pearl and ruby-set boss, pendant and bow decorated en suite, seed pearl-set band, gold cuvette decoratively engraved with scrollwork and two polished banners engraved with movement details and signed Fredc Courvoisier, Chaux-de-Fonds, no. 32555
diameter 44mm
Frédéric Courvoisier (1799-1854), son of Louis Courvoisier (1758-1832), worked for many years in his father's firm, Courvoisier & Cie. Multi-lingual, Frédéric travelled extensively throughout Europe on behalf of his father to further promote and develop Courvoisier & Comp. In 1830, Frédéric made the first of several trips to Russia and, during the second half of the 1830s, he made regular trips to the East which included a trip to Turkey in 1838, where Courvoisier & Cie had already established a business. In 1842 Frédéric, also known as Fritz, left his family firm to set up his own watch business. Frédéric's two sons Paul Frédéric (b.1827) and Emile Henri (b. 1829) both joined their father's firm, together with two of Frédéric's nephews. The firm of Frédéric Courvoisier was also known as Fritz Courvoisier with watches bearing one or other versions of the founder's name. For further information on the Courvoisiers, see: K. Pritchard, Swiss Timepiece Makers, 1775-1975, Phoenix, 1997, pp. C-81-C-85.
Richly decorated to both sides of the case, the swirling, spoked design evokes a sense of movement which is enhanced by the effect of the graduated pearls and turquoises which have been meticulously arranged to increase in size as they reach towards the edge of the case. This design is reminiscent of the decorative diamond and gem-set visible watch balances that were incorporated into some watches and clocks destined for the Chinese market in the late 18th and early 19th century.