Swiss. A fine and heavy 18K gold hunter case minute repeating triple calendar chronograph keyless lever watch with phases of the moon and enamel miniature, made for the Indian Market

UNSIGNED, NO. 18543, CIRCA 1900

Details

Swiss. A fine and heavy 18K gold hunter case minute repeating triple calendar chronograph keyless lever watch with phases of the moon and enamel miniature, made for the Indian Market
Unsigned, No. 18543, circa 1900
With gilt-finished jewelled lever movement, bimetallic compensation balance, minute repeating on two polished steel hammers, finely chased, engraved and satined foliage decorated cuvette centred by the oval polychrome enamel painted portrait of an Indian gentleman in uniform, signed LRD, the white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, two subsidiary dials indicating date and phases of the moon combined with lunar calendar and constant seconds, two windows for day and month, in plain circular case, repeating slide and chronograph button in the band, unsigned
57 mm. diam.

Lot Essay

The present watch is a fine example of a timepiece made upon special order for an Indian dignitary. These luxurious watches had to feature as many complications and decorations as possible. The movements were mainly produced by renowned watch manufacturers in the Vallée de Joux or Le Locle and delivered to the case makers in Geneva. The cases were almost exclusively done in the workshops of Ferrero, Tardy, Bonifas, Giron and Lamunière, based in Geneva. Geneva enamel portraitists specialized in watches decorated with enamel portraits of the relevant purchaser, taken from photographs sent from India.

Examples of such "Rajah Watches" are illustrated in Technique and History of the Swiss Watch by Eugène Jaquet & Alfred Chapuis, plates 138 - 140.

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