Live Auction 1417Rare Watches Including Nautilus 40 Part II
Swiss. A fine and very rare 18K pink gold openface quarter repeating musical watch with barillet-type pinned cylinder musical movement
Lot 74 Various Properties

Swiss. A fine and very rare 18K pink gold openface quarter repeating musical watch with barillet-type pinned cylinder musical movement

Unsigned, movement no. 204, case no. 1024, circa 1820

Closed14 November 2016

Price Realised

CHF 5,250

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Swiss. A fine and very rare 18K pink gold openface quarter repeating musical watch with barillet-type pinned cylinder musical movement
Unsigned, movement no. 204, case no. 1024, circa 1820
MOVEMENT: manual, cylinder escapement, repeating with two hammers on two gongs, pinned cylinder musical train playing on the hour or at will, with 40 tooth comb grouped in pairs and on two levels, covered by an engraved gilt plate secured by a screw
DIAL: pink gold, Breguet numerals on chased chapter ring, polished centre engraved with a scene of a gentleman seated on a rock fishing while a maiden passes with a basket of flowers
CASE: 18K pink gold, engine-turned back and reeded band, polished bezels, bolt for music activation in the band, repeating through the pendant, hinged gilt metal cuvette, 59 mm. diam.
SIGNED: unsigned

Specialist note

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.

This watch has an identical musical movement to those made by Perrin Frères of Geneva in the early 19th century and can therefore be possibly attributed to that workshop.