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Lot Essay
The movement of the present watch is made by Piguet & Meylan, renowned manufacturer of musical items of extraordinary quality. Some of the movements were extremely thin and based on the disc or sur plateau format with fan teeth, a system believed to have been invented by Meylan. The majority of their pieces were marked with the initials PM in a lozenge and a serial number.
Isaac-Daniel Piguet was born in Le Chenit in the Valley of Joux in 1775. At an early age, he specialized in the manufacturing of expensive and complicated pieces such as watches with carillons and en passant hour and quarter striking clock watches. He finally settled in Geneva where, in 1811, he formed a partnership with Philippe-Samuel Meylan.
Philippe-Samuel Meylan (1772-1845), a member of a family of renowned watchmakers, was born in Le Brassus. He specialized in the production of very thin watches and became an eminent maker of watches with musical automata.
The case was done in the workshop of the Frères Oltramare, renowned monteurs de boites en or, makers of gold cases. Louis-David-Benjamin and Jean-Hughes were descendants of the Oltramare family of watchmakers, originally from Genoa, of which some members settled in Geneva in the 17th century. The brothers worked together and registered their hallmark in November 1815 after the liberation of Geneva from French occupation.
Watches signed Piguet & Meylan and Frères Oltramare combining a lavishly decorated case and highly complicated movement featuring an automaton, repeating or music were often made by special order for Chinese dignitaries.
Isaac-Daniel Piguet was born in Le Chenit in the Valley of Joux in 1775. At an early age, he specialized in the manufacturing of expensive and complicated pieces such as watches with carillons and en passant hour and quarter striking clock watches. He finally settled in Geneva where, in 1811, he formed a partnership with Philippe-Samuel Meylan.
Philippe-Samuel Meylan (1772-1845), a member of a family of renowned watchmakers, was born in Le Brassus. He specialized in the production of very thin watches and became an eminent maker of watches with musical automata.
The case was done in the workshop of the Frères Oltramare, renowned monteurs de boites en or, makers of gold cases. Louis-David-Benjamin and Jean-Hughes were descendants of the Oltramare family of watchmakers, originally from Genoa, of which some members settled in Geneva in the 17th century. The brothers worked together and registered their hallmark in November 1815 after the liberation of Geneva from French occupation.
Watches signed Piguet & Meylan and Frères Oltramare combining a lavishly decorated case and highly complicated movement featuring an automaton, repeating or music were often made by special order for Chinese dignitaries.