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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Enamelled gold pearl-set pocket watch

Partially verified

This 18th-century pocket watch, dated 1790-1800, is attributed to the Genevan maker Jacques Coulin, with movement signature "Js. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve". The watch features a gold case decorated with enamel and accented by a border of pearls. The movement features a balance cock with ornate filigree metalwork and a silvered regulator dial. The case back incorporates a scene depicting Venus and Adonis, based on a painting by Etienne Jeaurat. The piece is part of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, having been bequeathed by Mr. John George Joicey. The construction reflects standard late-18th-century Swiss watchmaking practices, combining decorative casing with a functional movement assembly, and is marked with the accession number M.187-1919.

Front view of the pocket watch showing the white dial with Orazio Semeraro's name and the pearl-set bezel.
Front view of the pocket watch showing the white dial with Orazio Semeraro's name and the pearl-set bezel. — Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
collections.vam.ac.uk
Category
Pocket watch · Pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Coulin, Jacques
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
M.187-1919
Source-reported date
1790-1800
Source-reported place
Switzerland
Source-reported serial
18781

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and Dial

The watch features a gold case decorated with enamel. The exterior of the case incorporates a scene identified as Venus and Adonis, executed after a painting by Etienne Jeaurat. The perimeter of the watch face is set with a continuous row of pearls.

The dial is plain, with black Roman numerals and a small winding aperture located between the center and the 3 o'clock position. The retailer's name, Orazio Semeraro, is printed across the center of the dial surface.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gold case set with pearls and enamelled with Venus and Adonis after a painting by Etienne Jeaurat”

Movement and Signature

The movement is signed on the main plate as 'Js. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve' and includes the movement serial number 18781. It features a large balance cock protected by a decorative pierced metal plate.

A silvered regulation dial is positioned on the main plate, allowing for the adjustment of the rate. The movement also bears the signature of Orazio Semeraro, who is noted by the institution as a retailer of the object.

Evidence for this section
  • “movement signed 'Js. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve'”
  • “also signed 'Orazio Semeraro' (presumably the retailer)”

Provenance and Identification

The watch entered the Victoria and Albert Museum collection as part of the bequest of Mr. John George Joicey. It is assigned the accession number M.187-1919.

The watch is attributed to manufacture in Geneva, Switzerland, between 1790 and 1800.

Evidence for this section
  • “Bequeathed by Mr John George Joicey”
  • “M.187-1919”
  • “Switzerland, Geneva, 1790-1800”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific nature of the partnership between Jacques Coulin and Amy Bry?
  • Are there further archival records for the retailer Orazio Semeraro to confirm his location of business?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Enamelled gold pearl-set pocket watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerCoulin, Jacques (movement)“Coulin, Jacques (movement)”
Date1790-1800“1790-1800”
Place of originGeneva“Place of origin: Geneva (made)”
Accession numberM.187-1919“M.187-1919”
Materialsenamelled gold set with pearls“enamelled gold set with pearls”
RetailerOrazio Semeraro“signed 'Orazio Semeraro' (presumably the retailer)”
Movement signatureJs. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve“signed 'Js. Coulin & Amy Bry a Geneve'”

Visible details

  • Case bezel set with a border of small pearls
  • Dial features the name 'Orazio Semeraro'
  • Balance cock shows elaborate foliate-style engraving
  • Movement bridge plate engraved with movement number 18781

Research qualifications

  • The exact role of Orazio Semeraro beyond being a retailer is not detailed in the source
  • The source assumes the Venus and Adonis enamel scene is after the specific painting by Etienne Jeaurat

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Watch

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record c6bc874895

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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