Skip to main content

Watch: M/P.88-1913

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: DuchĂȘne

Entities

Categories

Description

Verge quarter repeating watch with automata, in engine turned gold case.

MOVEMENT: Full plate movement engraved 'Duchene A GENEVE', same engraved on cuvette. Balance bridge pierced with engraved edge, polished steel coquette retaining smooth red stone. Brass balance. Silver regulation dial engraved 'AVANCE' and 'RETARD'. Plain blued steel hand. Plain bridge over barrel with polished steel set-up click and wheel. Plain bridge with repeating barrel. Plain cock for contrate wheel. Plate with engraved scale with 'L' and 'V' at ends for runner speed. Slide end stop in fusee. Adjustable potance. Counter-potance cock with polished steel end plate and adjustment screw. Pillar plate with four plain turned pillars, third wheel bar. Two gongs mounted on plate. Plate stamped '3163' outside fusee. Under brass edge stamped '4'. Fusee and chain, set-up click at back. Verge escapement. Train planted clockwise. Runners with five pinions, ending in depthing pinion. Runners planted anti-clockwise.

REPEATING WORK: 1/4 mechanism, chain rack, chain over pulley. Polished steel work (mechanism not revealed).

DIAL: White enamel on copper with counter enamel, radial line min. ring, squares at 5 mins., short radial Roman chapters, glass fitted in centre. Centre gold and enamel scene of brick bridge with vase and flowers above. Two silver angle jacquemart on top of bridge striking silver bells at edge of the flowers. Blued steel background behind jacquemart and bells. Under bridge arch scene of knife grinder with grinding wheel by a wheel turned by an assistant, operated by runners.

HANDS: Blued steel Breguet type

CASE: Gold engine turned bezel, body and back. Inside bezel scratched 'LD/33'. Inside back stamped '1163', 'K18', maker's mark 'A' star 'G' and with a mark of an epaulet with a square with two chevrons ('Neuchatel 1820-66?') and scratched '3754 WW/WS/-', 'SO/SO/-, '3.87..', 'E89', '10079', '203' and 'SS/-/-.'

CUVETTE: Gilt brass, arrow engraved around winding hole, and as above. Inside stamped '3163'. Support ring stamped '3163' inside.

Legal notes

Bequeathed by Frank Gray Smart

Place(s) associated

  • Geneva ⪼ Switzerland

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1913-06-05) by Smart, Frank Gray

Dating

18th Century-19th Century
Production date: circa AD 1800

Components of the work

Dial composed of enamel ( on copper) copper glass
Cuvette composed of gilt brass
Figures, Case composed of gold
Movement composed of silver brass (alloy)
Movement, Hand composed of steel
Movement (top Plate) Diameter 4.3 cm
Movement (brass Edge) Diameter 5.3 cm
Case Diameter 5.75 cm Height 7.05 cm Thickness 2.2 cm
Movement (pillar Plate) Diameter 5 cm
Movement (pillar) Height 0.03 cm
Movement, Dial, Hand

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: Duchene A GENEVE
  • Location: Movement
  • Method of creation: Engraved
  • Type: Maker's name
  • Text: 3163
  • Location: Movement
  • Method of creation: Stamped
  • Type: Number
  • Text: 'A' star 'G' and with a mark of an epaulet with a square with two chevrons ('Neuchatel 1820-66?')
  • Location: Inside case back
  • Method of creation: Stamped
  • Type: Maker's mark
  • Text: '1163', 'K18', '3754 WW/WS/-', 'SO/SO/-, '3.87..', 'E89', '10079', '203' and 'SS/-/-.'
  • Location: Inside case back
  • Method of creation: Stamped, scratched
  • Type: Mark

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: M/P.88-1913
Primary reference Number: 207255
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Tuesday 8 December 2015 Updated: Wednesday 14 March 2018 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Watch" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/207255 Accessed: 2024-12-22 20:20:59

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/207255 |title=Watch |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-22 20:20:59|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-207255

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...