Live Auction 1380Important Watches
Esquivillon & Dechoudens. A highly rare and attractive 18K varicoloured gold, enamel and diamond-set double face verge watch with date and chatelaine
Lot 344

Esquivillon & Dechoudens. A highly rare and attractive 18K varicoloured gold, enamel and diamond-set double face verge watch with date and chatelaine

SIGNED J.-FS ESQUIVILLON & J. DECHOUDENS, NO. 32964, CIRCA 1790

Closed16 May 2011

Price Realised

CHF 30,000

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Esquivillon & Dechoudens. A highly rare and attractive 18K varicoloured gold, enamel and diamond-set double face verge watch with date and chatelaine
Signed J.-Fs Esquivillon & J. Dechoudens, no. 32964, circa 1790
Gilt-finished verge movement, chain fusée, balance cock set with a revolving blue enamel date dial with gold Arabic numerals, centred by a chased varicoloured gold and diamond-set floral decoration in high relief, white enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer Arabic five minute divisions, paste-set Louis XVI hands, chased circular varicoloured gold case, the hinged back decorated with cased varicoloured and diamond-set floral garlands and two cherubs, centred by the circular aperture revealing the date dial, the date indicated by a fleur-de-lis shaped pointer protruding from a diamond-set gold sunburst decoration, all on a translucent Royal blue enamel cartouche on engine-turned background, varicoloured gold and paste-set châtelaine decorated with a painted polychrome enamel and paste-set portrait of a lady, suspending a key and a blank seal, hinged clip to the reverse, movement signed and numbered
42 mm. diam.

Specialist note

The particularity of the present watch is the positioning of the calendar system onto the balance cock as opposed to the indication on the dial by means of an additional hand as commonly found on pocket watches of the period.

An opening in the case back reveals the turning date ring, the date is indicated by a fleur-de-lys shaped pointer underneath the pendant. The work is of such high quality and so perfectly integrated in the case back that no difference is visible, underlining the craftsmanship of Geneva's casemakers of the period.

The watch is furthermore preserved in very good overall condition, the overall appeal further increased by the châtelaine.
The master watchmakers Jean-François Esquivillon and Jacques Dechoudens formed a partnership between around 1776 until the early 19th century and specialized in the manufacture of high quality watches including form watches.