Swiss, made for H.W. Bernstein & Co. A very fine and heavy 18K gold, enamel, diamond, emerald and ruby-set hunter case Westminster carillon minute repeating keyless lever watch, made for the Indian market

CUVETTE SIGNED SPECIALLY MADE FOR H.W. BERNSTEIN & CO., BOMBAY & PARIS, SWISS MADE, NO. 111049, CIRCA 1900

Details

Swiss, made for H.W. Bernstein & Co. A very fine and heavy 18K gold, enamel, diamond, emerald and ruby-set hunter case Westminster carillon minute repeating keyless lever watch, made for the Indian market
Cuvette signed Specially made for H.W. Bernstein & Co., Bombay & Paris, Swiss made, No. 111049, circa 1900
With gilt-finished lever movement, 32 jewels, bimetallic compensation balance, Westminster carillon minute repeating on four polished steel hammers onto four gongs, gold cuvette, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, blued steel spade hands, subsidiary seconds, in heavy circular case with finely chased and engraved leaf decorated band, the covers finely decorated with green and light blue cloisonné enamel and translucent yellow and scarlet enamel on guilloché background and diamond, emerald and ruby-set floral and foliage motives, repeating slide in the band, cuvette signed
56 mm. diam.

Lot Essay

The present watch and its combination of a complicated movement of highest quality combined with a superbly decorated enamel case set with 314 diamonds, 9 rubies and 2 emeralds is a fine example for a timepiece made upon special order for an Indian Nobleman.

Such spectacular examples were very expensive, frequently exceeding 20,000 gold francs, a fortune at that time. The most magnificent watches could fetch much more: in 1867, Courvoisier of La-Chaux-de-Fonds sold a keyless hunter case watch in 18K gold, movement 21 lignes, 51 jewels, the case and chain set with diamonds and a large ruby, total weight 150 carats, to the Gaikwar of Baroda for the amount of 100,000 francs. It appears that the Nizam of Hyderabad ordered two watches, each estimated 250,000 francs, but as he never paid the requested guarantee of 100,000 francs, the watches were never made.

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