Christie’s roundel
Lot 93

ILBERY. A FINE AND RARE 18K GOLD, ENAMEL AND DIAMOND KEY WOUND OPENFACE DUPLEX WATCH WITH CENTER SECONDS MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET

SIGNED ILBERY, LONDON, NO. 6378, CIRCA 1790

Closed15 December 2009

Price Realised

USD 43,750

More Information

How to sell

ILBERY. A FINE AND RARE 18K GOLD, ENAMEL AND DIAMOND KEY WOUND OPENFACE DUPLEX WATCH WITH CENTER SECONDS MADE FOR THE CHINESE MARKET
SIGNED ILBERY, LONDON, NO. 6378, CIRCA 1790
Gilt-finished movement highly engraved with flowers and scrolls, bi-metallic compensation balance with trapezoidal weights, gold cuvette, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer ring with Arabic five minute divisions, center seconds, gold heart hands, circular case, the back centered with translucent green guilloché enamel, enhanced with diamond-set star burst design, the rim, bezel and bow with polychrome enamel geometric motif, movement signed and case numbered 6378
59mm diam.

The Estate of Leopold Metzenberg (Executive, Sears, Roebuck & Co.)
Gift to present owner, 1952

Specialist note

William Ilbury (d. 1839) of London was a well-known maker of enamel and other watches for the Chinese market. Renowned for their lavish ornamentation of pearls, diamonds, and other precious gems and materials, many of his watches were presented as gifts to the Emperors. For further discussion see Britten's Old Clocks & Watches and Their Makers (8th Ed.), p. 424.