A10139

Gold and Enamel Beetle Form Watch

£9,000.00

Signed  Swiss
Circa   1880
A fine late 19th Century Swiss gold and enamel brooch watch in the form of a beetle.
Dimensions   26 x 50 x 15 mm         

Out of stock

Description

A fine late 19th Century Swiss gold and enamel brooch watch in the form of a beetle. Heart shaped keywind gilt bar movement with suspended going barrel. Plain cock with polished steel regulator. Plain three arm gilt balance with blue steel spiral hairspring. Polished steel cylinder, steel escape wheel. Small white enamel dial with black Roman numerals for the hours and blue Arabic numerals for the minutes, blue steel hands.  Fine gold and enamel case in the form of a beetle, the diamond set translucent dark blue enamel wings opened by depressing a button in the tail to reveal the dial. The head chased and engraved with champleve black enamel, the eyes represented by diamonds. The underside of the beetle realistically portrayed with finely chased and engraved legs applied to the hinged cover.  Inside the cover an oval glazed frame for a miniature portrait, wound and set through the gold oval cuvette.  Engraved gold loop for a chain.

A high quality attractive piece in excellent overall condition.  See The Technique and History of the Swiss Watch colour plate 30 for a similar watch