Watch case by Michel Herman, Belgium, 1700–1799 (Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage AP_10289222) — view 1 of 1
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Movements & Components · Watch case

Watch case by Michel Herman, Belgium, 1700–1799 (Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage AP_10289222)

DocumentedDocumented from the holding institution's catalogue record.
Maker / attribution
Michel Herman (creator)
Date
1700–1799
Country of origin
Belgium
Place
Brussels-Capital Region
Object type
Watch case
Accession / object no.
AP_10289222
Catalogue title (original)
watch case (English)

View the source record ↗

Record summary

Held and catalogued by Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (object number AP_10289222), this is a watch case by Michel Herman, made in Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium, dated 1700–1799. The Atlas places it in the Early Modern Horology period (1600 – 1750) of its Movements & Components collection. The record is illustrated with 1 photograph.

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

The source record does not include a narrative description. The structured fields above are reproduced from it.

Historical context

Early Modern Horology (1600 – 1750)

Huygens' pendulum and balance spring transform accuracy; English makers develop the anchor and deadbeat escapements.

The pendulum, anchor escapement and balance spring transformed movement design; English makers introduced jewelled bearings (1704).

Read the period in the timelineMore movements & components from this periodEarlier: Renaissance Horology

Atlas type guide

Cases, keys and accessories

Clock and watch cases protect the movement and express taste and status. Watch cases were made by separate specialist case-makers whose marks, along with assay hallmarks, help to date and place them. Clock cases were the work of cabinet-makers, bronze founders, ceramic factories and silversmiths, so they belong as much to the history of decorative arts as to horology.

Keys, chatelaines, watch stands, watch papers and winding tools are part of the material culture of timekeeping: they show how timepieces were worn, displayed, wound and maintained.

What to look for

  • Case maker's sponsor's marks and assay hallmarks in gold and silver cases.
  • Materials: shagreen, tortoiseshell, enamel, porcelain, jasperware, gilt bronze.
  • Breguet-style ratchet keys, crank keys and watch-key fobs.
  • Engraved names, presentations and dates.

Dating clues

  • English hallmark date letters allow exact dating of the case assay.
  • Porcelain cases from Meissen and Sèvres: mostly eighteenth century.

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.

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