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18K French Pocket Watch with Bowl of Hygieia, 1915 — view 1 of 6
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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

18K French Pocket Watch with Bowl of Hygieia, 1915

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
1915
Country of origin
France
Object type
Pocket watch
Stock no.
Product 2249
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 2249)
Catalogue title (original)
18K French Pocket Watch with Bowl of Hygieia (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by WatchMuseum.org shop (stock number Product 2249), this is a pocket watch, made in France, dated 1915. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Pocket Watches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — WatchMuseum.org shop

Step into the elegance of early 20th-century luxury with this exquisite 18K French Pocket Watch with Bowl of Hygieia, dating back to around 1915. This remarkable timepiece is a stunning blend of artistry and precision, featuring a bicolor design that captivates the eye. Suspended by a graduated banner and adorned with the iconic Bowl of Hygieia, flanked by two twinkling rose-cut diamonds, this watch exudes sophistication. The banner seamlessly attaches to a delicately crafted 1 9/16″ brooch, enhancing its allure. The hand-engraved cover, showcasing a wreath with a triple looped bow draped in a floral swag, highlights the exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail. Despite its pristine condition, this watch will require servicing to ensure its continued functionality. Weighing 27.7 grams and measuring 3 3/4″ long by 1 1/8″ in diameter, this pendant watch is a substantial piece that embodies the opulence of its era. Originating from France and crafted during the period of 1910-1919, this 18K French Pocket Watch with Bowl of Hygieia is a timeless treasure that will undoubtedly draw admiration and envy from all who behold it. This exceptional 18k bicolor French pendant watch is a true masterpiece of craftsmanship. Suspended by a graduated banner, adorned with a stunning Bowl of Hygieia centred between two twinkling rose-cut diamonds, this watch is truly captivating. The banner then attaches to a small 1 9/16″ brooch that beautifully complements the watch. The hand-engraved cover of the watch depicts a wreath with triple looped bow, draped in a floral swag, showcasing the incredible skill and attention to detail that went into creating this piece. Despite its pristine condition, the watch will require servicing. Dating back to around 1915-1920, this pendant watch is a testament to the opulence and luxury of the early 20th century. At 27.7 grams and measuring 3 3/4″ long x 1 1/8″ diameter, this piece is both striking and substantial, sure to draw admiration and envy from all who behold it. Stone: Diamond Stone Cut: Rose Cut Chronograph: Place of Origin: France Period: 1910-1919 Date of Manufacture: 1915 Condition: Good

Historical context

Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)

The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.

The pocket watch reached technical maturity and then began to give way to the wristwatch after the First World War. Complicated watches for collectors such as Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard, railroad watches, and slim Art Deco dress watches are characteristic.

Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution

Atlas type guide

Pocket watches

The pocket watch was the dominant personal timekeeper from the late seventeenth century until the First World War. Its development tracks the history of the escapement: verge watches with fusees until the late eighteenth century; Thomas Mudge's lever escapement (c. 1755) and the cylinder escapement popularised by George Graham and later by Swiss makers; and the Swiss and English lever watches of the nineteenth century. Lépine's bar-bridge calibre and keyless winding made watches thinner and easier to use.

Industrialisation transformed the trade: American factories such as Waltham (from 1850) and Elgin produced interchangeable parts by machine, and Swiss makers responded with their own mechanisation after the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition. By 1900 a reliable watch was affordable to millions; the finest makers continued to produce complications and precision watches.

What to look for

  • The escapement: verge (crown wheel), cylinder, duplex, English or Swiss lever.
  • Key winding (a square arbor in dial or back) or keyless crown winding.
  • Signatures and serial numbers on the movement, dial and inside case back.
  • Hallmarks, case maker's marks and gold or silver standards stamped in the case.
  • Dial material: enamel, silver, gold, later printed metal.

Dating clues

  • Verge watches dominate before c. 1800; cylinder watches c. 1770–1900; lever watches after c. 1820.
  • Keyless winding: increasingly common after c. 1860.
  • Manufacturer serial number lists exist for Waltham, Elgin, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe and others.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Read next:Verge escapementDetached lever escapementFuseeIdentification Centre

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