Swiss. A fine, rare and unusual 18K gold openface quarter repeating cylinder watch with two jaquemarts, diamond-set Russian Imperial double-headed eagle and presentation box
Swiss. A fine, rare and unusual 18K gold openface quarter repeating cylinder watch with two jaquemarts, diamond-set Russian Imperial double-headed eagle and presentation box

UNSIGNED, CIRCA 1820

Details
Swiss. A fine, rare and unusual 18K gold openface quarter repeating cylinder watch with two jaquemarts, diamond-set Russian Imperial double-headed eagle and presentation box
Unsigned, circa 1820
Gilt-finished cylinder movement, chain fusée, finely pierced and engraved foliage decorated balance cock, hinged gilt cuvette, eccentric small white enamel dial at 12 o'clock, Breguet numerals, engine-turned sunburst decorated silver back plate, two gold jaquemarts depicting a lady with a lion and a Roman soldier striking a bell in unison with the repeating, the bell surmounted by the diamond-set double-headed Russian Imperial Eagle, large circular case, textured rims and band, repeating through the pendant, unsigned
64 mm. diam.

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Lot Essay

With period fitted brown leather and gilt floral and foliage decorated presentation box.

The presence of the double-headed eagle, the coat-of-arms of the Russian Empire, suggests that the present watch was ordered by the Imperial Court and given as a reward to a deserving officer or servant.

Originally a Byzantine symbol, the double-headed eagle was adopted by the Russian tsars in the 15th century. The two heads face East and West symbolize the geographic position of Russia, a symbol seen as an allegory sometimes for unity, and sometimes for absolute monarchy, a form of government in which the king and queen have power over everything. Most commonly, the double-headed eagle is associated with the monarchy, featuring prominently in the Russian Imperial and Coronation regalia.

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