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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

Swiss enamel verge Pocket Watch, c. 1780

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
c. 1780
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Pocket watch
Materials / technique
enamel
Stock no.
Product 5897
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 5897)
Catalogue title (original)
Swiss enamel verge Pocket Watch (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 5897), this is a pocket watch, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1780. The Atlas places it in the Precision & Scientific Horology period (1750 – 1850) of its Pocket Watches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: enamel. 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 back in time with the exquisite Swiss enamel verge pocket watch from circa 1780, a true testament to the artistry and craftsmanship of the 18th century. This remarkable timepiece, originating from the renowned watchmaking hub of Geneva, is a captivating blend of beauty and functionality. Encased in a gilt case, it features stunning enamel decorations that capture the eye and evoke a sense of timeless elegance. The watch’s movement is a gilt verge movement, showcasing a meticulously engraved and pierced balance bridge, a large silvered regulator disk, and four round pillars, all signed by the esteemed watchmaker Mauris A Geneve. The movement is in excellent condition and runs smoothly, a testament to the enduring quality of its construction. The white enamel dial, also signed, remains in perfect condition with only minor wear around the winding aperture, complemented by elegant white metal hands. The case’s allure is further enhanced by its gilt finish and an enchanting enamel plaque on the back, depicting a pastoral scene with a young couple, bordered by intricate designs and silhouette portraits. Despite some wear to the gilding, the metalwork remains in good condition, with functional hinges and a secure crystal-set bezel. The enamel on the back is in pristine original condition, unmarred by chips or restoration, maintaining only a few light scratches. Housed under a high dome crystal, this pocket watch is a beautiful relic from the past, crafted by Henri Mauris, who worked in Geneva from around 1775 to 1810, and is a perfect piece for collectors and enthusiasts of fine horology. This is a beautiful Swiss verge watch, housed in a gilt case and adorned with exquisite enamel decorations. The movement is a gilt verge movement, featuring a meticulously engraved and pierced balance bridge, a large silvered regulator disk, and four round pillars. The movement is signed by Mauris A Geneve and is in good condition, running well. The dial is a white enamel dial, also signed, and is in perfect condition aside from some minor damage around the winding aperture. The dial is complemented by white metal hands. The case is particularly appealing, with gilt finishing and enamel decorations on the back. The enamel plaque on the back depicts a charming pastoral scene, featuring a young couple. The border of the plaque is beautifully adorned with intricate designs and silhouette portraits on either side. The case’s metalwork is in good condition, with some wear to the gilding on the outer surfaces. The hinges and catch are in fine working order, and the crystal-set bezel closes securely. The enamel on the back is in excellent original condition, with no chips or signs of restoration, only a few light scratches. The watch is housed under a high dome crystal, which is in good condition. Henri Mauris, the watchmaker behind this timepiece, worked in Geneva from around 1775 to around 1810. Place of Origin: Geneva Date of Manufacture: c1780 Gilt & enamel case, 46.9 mm. Verge escapement Condition: Good

Historical context

Precision & Scientific Horology (1750 – 1850)

Harrison solves longitude; Mudge invents the lever; Breguet's Paris workshop defines the modern watch.

From 1750 to 1850 the watch became a precision instrument. Mudge's lever escapement, the cylinder escapement, Lépine's thin bar calibre, Breguet's innovations (overcoil, tourbillon, perpétuelle) and the pocket chronometer of Arnold and Earnshaw all date from this period, while verge watches remained common in cheaper production.

Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Early Modern Horology

Atlas type guide

Verge and pair-cased watches

After Christiaan Huygens and Robert Hooke applied the balance spring around 1675, the verge watch became a reasonably reliable timekeeper and the minute hand became standard. Through the eighteenth century the typical English watch was a pair-cased verge: a fusee movement with a pierced, engraved balance cock, housed in an inner case and a separate protective outer case, often of repoussé gold, shagreen, tortoiseshell or enamel.

French watches of the same period were thicker 'oignons', later replaced by elegant thinner watches following Jean-Antoine Lépine's bar-bridge calibre of c. 1770. Dutch, Swiss and German makers supplied international markets, and verge watches were made until the mid-nineteenth century as cheaper alternatives to the cylinder and lever.

What to look for

  • The pierced balance cock on the backplate: winged (continental) or with a foot (English); its style dates the watch.
  • Fusee and chain visible through the movement; key winding through the dial (early) or case back.
  • Hallmarks inside English silver or gold cases, which give a date letter.
  • Maker's name and serial number engraved on the backplate; watch papers inside outer cases.
  • Enamel dials (after c. 1720) versus earlier champlevé metal dials.

Dating clues

  • Champlevé dials: c. 1680–1730; white enamel dials thereafter.
  • English case hallmarks give the year of assay to within a year.
  • Verge watches persisted in cheap production until c. 1850.

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:FuseeBalance spring (hairspring)Verge escapement

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