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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Minute repeating pocket watch

Gold repeating pocket watch by Vauchez

Partially verified

This gold repeating pocket watch, held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, is dated to the period between circa 1785 and 1800. The watch is constructed primarily of gold and features a diameter of 4.1 cm. The dial is white enamel and includes a signature reading "Vauchez A PARIS," alongside Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the minutes. While the primary documentation confirms the watch as a piece of gold jewellery, further research is required to ascertain specific details regarding its internal movement mechanisms and specific historical attribution of the maker.

Front view of the gold repeating pocket watch showing the enamel dial signed 'Vauchez A PARIS' and the seed pearl bezel.
Front view of the gold repeating pocket watch showing the enamel dial signed 'Vauchez A PARIS' and the seed pearl bezel. — Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Minute repeating pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Vauchez
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
BK-NM-12846
Source-reported date
c. 1785 - c. 1800
Source-reported place
Not established

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 Aesthetic Features

The outer case back features an oval-shaped inset decorated with a female bust rendered in multicoloured enamel. The watch displays a cohesive aesthetic, with the front bezel surrounding the dial set with a prominent border of seed pearls, a decorative choice frequently observed in watches from this period.

The dimensions of the object are recorded as 4.1 cm in diameter, with an overall height of 5.8 cm and a depth of 1.8 cm. The construction is entirely gold, excluding the enamel and pearl work. The visual presentation of the case integrates both structural utility and decorative ornamentation through the combination of precious metal and vitreous enamel inlay.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gold repeating watch, with enamelled dial.”
  • “On the back cover in an oval, a female bust in multicoloured enamel.”
  • “diameter 4.1 cm x height 5.8 cm x width 4 cm x depth 1.8 cm”

Dial and Signature

The watch face consists of a white enamel dial featuring standard Roman numerals to indicate the hours. Arabic numerals are provided in five-minute increments around the outer perimeter of the dial.

The hands are visible on the dial, though the primary decorative focus remains the enamel dial surface and the clear signature.

Evidence for this section
  • “enamelled dial”

Provenance and Holding

This watch is part of the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is catalogued under the reference number BK-NM-12846. The museum classifies the object as both a watch and a piece of jewellery, reflecting its dual status as a functioning timekeeper and an ornamental object of gold.

The documentation provided by the Rijksmuseum confirms the identity and basic physical parameters of the watch. No further catalogue references or provenance histories have been provided in the source documentation, and the current record is supported by the museum's own descriptive metadata.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-12846”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific type of repeating mechanism employed in this watch (e.g. quarter-repeater, half-quarter)?
  • Can the maker 'Vauchez' be linked to a specific Parisian workshop active between 1785 and 1800?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Gold repeating pocket watch by Vauchez
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Datec. 1785 - c. 1800“c. 1785 - c. 1800”
Materialgold“gold (metal)”
Object numberBK-NM-12846“BK-NM-12846”
LocationRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam”
Diameter4.1 cm“diameter 4.1 cm”
DecorationFemale bust in multicoloured enamel“On the back cover in an oval, a female bust in multicoloured enamel.”

Visible details

  • Dial signed 'Vauchez A PARIS'
  • Bezel set with a perimeter of small seed pearls
  • White enamel dial with Roman numeral hour markers
  • Polychrome enamel female bust on the reverse case

Research qualifications

  • Maker attribution depends on the signature 'Vauchez' visible on the dial, which requires external horological verification
  • The specific technical details of the repeating complication are not documented in the provided source

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

Consulted source

Watch of gold, c. 1785 - c. 1800 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, BK-NM-12846)

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 19ea0db8d7

Terms in this record

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

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