Enamelled gold watch with floral decoration, probably France, ca. 1650, with movement by Samuel François Caille; Vienna, 1750-1775.

V&A — Summary

The back of the watchcase is constructed from vividly enamelled flowers and gold stalks, an expression of the mid-17th century taste for floral decoration. The movement is much later, about 1750-75, and bears the name of a Viennese watchmaker. There was a great admiration for enamelled work in earlier historical styles in Vienna in the late 19th century and one interpretation of this watch is that it was in the late 19th century that the 17th century enamelled case was fitted out with an 18th century movement in Vienna. The generous donors of this watch spotted that its enamelled decoration was close in design and technique to a watch already in the V&A's collection, M.371-1910. The latter also has an 18th century movement and has a gold inner lining to the case which bears the mark of a Viennese goldsmith specializing in enamelled work, Joseph Weichberger, Senior, and can be dated to about 1872-81. Is the similarity because Weichberger had the watch donated in 2018 in his hands in Vienna in the late 19th century and made a copy of it? Or is it possible that the enamelled decoration of both cases is 17th century in date and shares a similar source?

V&A — Physical description

Watch with gold openwork case composed of flowers and foliage decorated with opaque and basse taille enamel. Engraved dial with silver chapter ring, I - XII, and blued steel hand. The dial is located by means of four lugs on its circumference in a gold inner case, which is not attached to the joint (hinge) of the outer case or to the centre of the inside of the outer case where there is a tube which might have held a screw. The gold inner case has a filled hole where a screw might have passed through it to the hole in the middle of the outer case. The late 18th. century movement has a verge escapement, bridge cock, and silver A[vance] / R[etard] dial. The top plate is engraved 'Samuel François Caille / à Vienne'.

V&A — Object history

The two donors of this watch spotted on the V&A's Search the Collections that the Museum has a watch, M.371-1910, with a closely similar enamelled watchcase. The present watch has an enamelled, pierced floral case, from the middle of the 17th century (with some restoration). It contains a middle or slightly later 18th century movement engraved ‘Samuel François Caille à Vienne’. The earlier enamelled cases were much appreciated in Vienna in the late 19th century and it would fit the pattern if the 18th century movement was inserted in Vienna in the 19th century to replace an earlier movement, either broken or already lost. What is remarkable is that the enamelled case is closely similar in design to the watchcase in the V&A’s collection (M.371-1910). The latter also has an 18th century movement (bearing the name of Dechevaux of Caen), but it has a gold case within the enamelled openwork of the exterior bearing the mark of Josef Weichberger Senior of Vienna. On the gold work is a Vienna mark in use from 1872 and, according to one source (Sotheby's, 6 July 2011, lot 119), Weichberger was working until 1881. Both he and his son made enamelled works. The question which the gift raises is why the two enamelled cases are so similar. Is it because the V&A’s watchcase was copied by Weichberger from the watch donated in 2018, which judging by the movement, may well have been in Vienna at an appropriate time? Is it because the enamelled floral decoration of both cases is 17th century and shares a common source of design or manufacture?