Horloge van goud

Case and Aesthetic Design

The exterior of the pocket watch is constructed from gold, featuring an ornate case finished with chased decoration in four distinct colours, described as 'à quatre couleurs'.

In addition to the metalwork, the back cover incorporates a scene rendered in multicoloured enamel. The subject of this decorative panel features two cupids arranged alongside a flower basket.

The object is provided with a traditional pendant and bow mechanism for suspension, facilitating its use as a pocket-carried timepiece rather than a wrist-worn instrument, despite the museum's internal classification category.

Dial and Timekeeping Display

The face of the watch is composed of a white enamelled dial. The primary time display utilizes black-painted Roman numerals to denote the hours. A separate track, featuring Arabic numerals at five-minute intervals from five to sixty, is situated around the periphery of the dial.

A winding aperture is visible on the dial surface, positioned offset between the center of the dial and the 3 o'clock hour marker. The hands are mounted at the center, though the specific configuration of the hand set is limited by the current view.

Documentation and Dimensions

The watch is held within the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, identified by the unique museum accession number BK-NM-12850. The institution records the physical measurements as 4.4 cm in diameter, with a height of 6.1 cm, a width of 4.3 cm, and a total depth of 1.8 cm.

As a documented museum object, the records provided by the Rijksmuseum serve as the basis for this entry's physical description. While the chronological attribution spans 1750 to 1800, specific maker details are not currently provided within the museum's public catalogue documentation for this entry.