"Additional photos" to the "400 Years of Watchmaking" series.

 To a follow up on this expansive list of watches. I want to show YOU the balance of the "Catalogue of Watch Collection & Exhibition". 

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FRENCH EMPIRE LADIES' DRESS WATCH

 The movement is by "Patry and Cheneviere" of Geneva circa 1800. Front of the "hunter" case (with a protective covers) bears a miniature enamel painting showing the "Judgement of Paris" on the front, with the French phrase, "A La Plus Belle" (To the Fairest) on the reverse. 

This is the front of the watch that is shown from above.

FRENCH RESTORATION LADIES' DRESS WATCH

 The gold dial of this watch, which is probably French-made. Circa 1820. The back is in "pervenche", an uncommon lavender gray, translucent enamel on an ending-turned background.

This has a white  hour ring and black numerals. Both back and front are adorned with pearls.

 This London, England maker "Edward Prior" created this silver watch for the Turkish market. circa 1845-1850, with four-cases, designed to fit inside one another.

 Inmost and second cases in silver, the third, silver with tortoise shell, The fourth our case is heavy silver, richly decorated. Such multitude cases were ostensibly designed to guard against desert sands.

 But the four-case watch quickly became a status symbol and pretext for excessive decoration.

This watch can only be wound when the three cases are removed to reveal the winding key opening of the inmost case.

VIENNESE BIEDERMEIER FORM WATCH

A modified lyre was the form chosen for this gold watch by Louis Ellionedy, Vienna.

Circa 1820. The balance is visible though a pearl-ringed window in the front fo the case. The back is enameled with an open music book.

LATE RENAISSANCE GERMAN STRIKING WATCH

This large clock watch by an unknown maker, circa 1580-1590, has a gilded metal case pierced with floral meanders. Pins at hour dial positions act as "feelers" to tell time at night with the singular hour hand. 

 The center engraving repeats the flower motif on the back. The watchmaker used a steel and bras "stackfreed", (a variable friction device) to control an uneven mainspring power, and a dumbell "follot" to govern wheel speed. 

The follot was was the earliest form of control of the "escapement," which itself regulates motive power.

DANISH GOLD DRESS WATCH

The gold outer case of this dress watch is in fine repousse' and depicts the "Three Graces". The repeater movement is by "L. lac. Linke" of Copenhagen, circa 1750-1760.

OPERA-GLASS TELESCOPE WITH WATCH ATTACHED

 This extraordinary piece of the Louis XV period has a wooden interior tube, covered with transparent lacquer on a gold ground. 

 It is decorated with pierced gold, repousse', and openwork.

The six golden panels contain enamel silhouettes of birds and animals. Moveable watch at the end of this telescope, it is signed by "James Cox", London, circa 1760, it is hinged to swing out and reveal the lens. Bezel is studded with multiple Rubies.

  GOLD AND ENAMEL BONBONNIERE-SHAPED WATCH

 The case of this French Empire watch, circa 1810-1820 is exceptionally painted in enamel.

With it's musical clock-watch movement, it demonstrates the virtuosity of Geneva craftsmen.

 On the back, the center panel with fruit motif is encircled by twelve floral segments, and highlighted by surround of 750 pearls.

 The inner cover is gold and white champleve' enamel. (champleve' is an area of metal hollowed out to take enameling).

SWISS DOUBLE SECTOR INDICATOR WATCH

This watch is unsigned, But typical of Vaucher, Geneva, circa 1830. A whit enamel dial that shows "Chronos, the deity of Time" in Greek mythology, with moving arms. The right one indicates the hours; the left, the minutes. On reaching bottom, both of the hands jump back automatically to their top position.

SWISS GOLD AND ENAMEL REPEATER

A quarter repeater on bell, activated by a pendant, this unsigned piece was probably

made in Geneva, circa 1820-1830. The golden case is scalloped and enameled in a geometric motif, and bears ornamental dolphins at the pendant. Front and rear case edges are set with pearls.

FRENCH EMPIRE HALF-QUARTER REPEATER

 The great Breguet signed this movement, circa 1820. The thin gold case with silver "guilloche (engine-turned) dial has an eccentric second dial, Jumping hour hand and and date indicator. Back turns just a fraction to close the winding hole.

Breguet's secret signature appears on the dial on either side of the XII.

 In the construction of this small watch, Breguet resolved complex problems with an originality and precision inaccessible to any follower.

CHRONOSCOPE, or "WANDERING HOUR" WATCH

 One of the strange devised introduced when discovery of the balance spring made precision possible, while the minute hand was not generally accepted, is the wandering of "floating hour dial" in this plain English watch by "Peter Garon", circa 1690.

 The hour is shown in a semi-circular aperture on a disc, which moves through an arc, left to right, always opposite the proper minute indicated on the minute ring.

At the "60', the hour disappears under the dial and the next one appears simultaneously at "O" to continue the cycle again.

PAIR-CASE CLOCK WATCH

 The signature of famous English maker "Daniel Quare" appears on the movement of this late "Restoration" watch, circa 1690. The inner case of gilded brass, like the outer case, is pierced and engraved. The face is silver, and has a revolving dial for the alarm.

XVII CENTURY OCTAGONAL WATCH

 With this movement signed by "J. Lalement, Autun". circa 1640-50, this French watch has a gilded brass and silver case engraved with figures, squirrels and foliage. Face is decorated with landscape within the dial ring.

SILVER "PURITAN" WATCH.

This oval plain watch isn its silver case is signed on the movement, "John Ramsay a Londre" circa 1650. The dial is engraved with a cherub's head and scrolls. The fine early movement has a balance cock attached with tenon and pin.

 These unadorned watched emphasize a Cromwellian severity in reaction to the luxe of the "Stuarts".

OCTAGONAL ROCK CRYSTAL WATCH

Dutch-master "J.Vibrandi / Leovardise (Leeuwarden)" signed this late Renaissance watch, circa 1630-1640. The clear rock crystal case and lid are each cut to form a star. The gold dial with one steel had is enameled in a floral design.

GEORGIAN GOLD DUMB-REPEATER

 Swiss Justin Vulliamy, who settled in London and produced this watch, circa 1790, became one of  England's finest makers. The dumb-repeater is one whose hammer does not strike a bell, but makes a thudding sound against a thick screwhead to avoid giving an offense sound in church, or at the theater.

EARLY SELF-WINDING WATCH

The famed Jaquet Droz, who produced this fold automatic watch and signed its movement in London, circa 1780-1790. Its self-winding system incorporates & oscillating gold counterweight. This approach originated in the pedometer, in which the weight rises and falls with the body movement.

BREQUET PAIR-CASE GOLD AND ENAMEL WATCH

The great "Abraham-Louis Brequet" placed his secret signature in the dial of the Ruby cylinder movement, circa 1810 of this unusual masterpiece. The enamel dial has both Western and Turkish numerals, since this piece was intended for the Turkish market. Impeccable workmanship is seen in the inner and outer case.

 The latter is entirely done in an multicoloured enamel, back has a crescent motif. Enamel work is signed by the painter, a rare feature.

VIENNESE BASKET-SHAPED WATCH

 The gold case of this unsigned watch, circa 1820-1825, is enameled front and back with a reclining cherub and floral bouquet, respectively. A decorative row of graduated pearls divides lower and upper halves on both sides.

FRENCH RESTORATION DRESS WATCH

Charles Oudin, A prominent Parisian pupil if the great Brequet, produced this very thin watch, circa 1825. And it shows the master's unmistakable influence, as in the style of the cylinder escapement. Movement is barely 30 mm. in thickness.

The watch is a "cloisonne" type (divided into compartments of "cloisons" by flat metal wires to form a design whose partitions then are filled with colored enamel, and then fired). The case has scalloped edges, and is finely decorated in a geometric design.

"Je Fini" => (I have finished). I have finished this remarkable collection of wonderful watches.