Swiss. An 18K pink gold openface quarter repeating cylinder watch, playing music on the hour or at will
Swiss. An 18K pink gold openface quarter repeating cylinder watch, playing music on the hour or at will

UNSIGNED, CASE STAMPED G&C AND NUMBERED 625, CIRCA 1830

Details
Swiss. An 18K pink gold openface quarter repeating cylinder watch, playing music on the hour or at will
Unsigned, case stamped G&C and numbered 625, circa 1830
Mechanical two train barillet-type cylinder movement, repeating on two steel hammers, musical pinned cylinder, gilt cuvette, white enamel dial, Breguet numerals, large circular case, music playing at the hour or at will by a lever in the ribbed band, repeating through the pendant, case stamped G&C and numbered 625
58 mm. diam.

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Lot Essay

The present watch is fitted with the rare barillet-type movement with a rotating pinned cylinder as opposed to the more often used "sur plateau" movement with a flat rotating disc. Although requiring more space and hence a more voluminous case, the pinned cylinder movement is more robust and generates a richer tone.

The barillet-type movement with pinned cylinder was invented by the watchmaker Antoine Favre-Salomon in Geneva in 1796. He replaced the stack of bells in use at the time by a comb with multiple pre-tuned notes. Together with a horizontally placed pinned barrel this system generates more varied and complex sounds.

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