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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Keyless pocket watch

L. Leroy & Cie. silver keyless pocket watch

Partially verified

This L. Leroy & Cie. keyless pocket watch, numbered 14859, dates to approximately 1890. It is housed in a four-body 'demi-bassine' silver case with a polished finish and includes an 'argent fin' hinged cuvette. The white enamel dial features black Roman numerals, an outer minute ring, and a subsidiary seconds dial, paired with blued-steel Breguet hands. The watch is signed on the dial, case, and movement. The movement is a 21-line, gilded caliber featuring cross-line damascening decoration. Technical specifications include a straight-line lever escapement, a cut bimetallic compensation balance, and a blued-steel Breguet balance spring. The movement is jeweled to the center, with additional ruby endstones on the balance and escape wheels, and features frosted winding wheels. Setting is accomplished via a pin-set mechanism. The case measures 59 mm in diameter.

The dial side of the L. Leroy & Cie. pocket watch, showing the white enamel dial with Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds.
The dial side of the L. Leroy & Cie. pocket watch, showing the white enamel dial with Roman numerals and subsidiary seconds. — Antiquorum. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
catalog.antiquorum.swiss
Category
Pocket watch · Keyless pocket watch
Maker / attribution
L. Leroy & Cie.
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
168
Source-reported date
circa 1890
Source-reported place
France
Source-reported serial
14859

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 is constructed with a four-body 'demi-bassine' case made of 'argent fin' silver. The exterior of the case is polished, and the piece includes a hinged cuvette made of the same silver material. The dial is made of white enamel and displays a traditional arrangement of Roman numerals.

The display includes an outer minute ring and a subsidiary sunk seconds dial. Blued-steel Breguet hands indicate the time on the dial, which is marked with the maker's signature and the serial number. The snap-on dial is integrated into the overall four-body design of the case.

Evidence for this section
  • “C. Four-body, 'demi-bassine', polished, 'argent fin' hinged cuvette.”
  • “D. White enamel, Roman numerals, outer minute ring, subsidiary sunk seconds, snap-on fit, blued-steel Breguet hands.”

Movement and Escapement

The movement is a 21-line gilded caliber identified by the cataloguer with a question mark. It features decorative cross-line damascening. The technical components include a straight-line lever escapement and a cut bimetallic compensation balance, designed to adjust for temperature variations.

The timing is regulated by a blued-steel Breguet balance spring. The movement is jeweled to the center, incorporating ruby endstones specifically for the balance and escape wheels. The winding wheels have a frosted finish, and the watch uses a pin-set mechanism for time adjustment.

Evidence for this section
  • “M. 21???, gilded, cross-line damascening decoration, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued-steel Breguet balance spring, jeweled to the center with balance and escape wheels with ruby endstones, frosted winding wheels, pin-set.”

Condition and Signatures

The object is signed on the dial, the case, and the movement, identifying it as a product of L. Leroy & Cie. of Palais Royal, Paris. The auction house has provided condition grades for the watch's components, though these are presented as ranges, such as '3 - 5*' for the movement and '3 - 6 - 01' for the dial.

The overall grading for the watch is designated as 'AA Very good' by the auction description. No further details regarding service history or specific mechanical defects are provided in the source material, leaving the exact state of the movement and dial partially unverified.

Evidence for this section
  • “Signed on dial, case, and movement.”
  • “Grading System Grade: AA Very good Case: 4 Fair Movement: 3 - 5* Dial: 3 - 6 - 01”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific manufacturer or caliber type represented by the notation '21???'?
  • Can the provenance of this specific serial number be traced to original shop registers for L. Leroy & Cie.?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for L. Leroy & Cie. silver keyless pocket watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerL. Leroy & Cie.“L. Leroy & Cie.”
Serial Number14859“No. 14859”
Datecirca 1890“circa 1890”
Case Materialsilver“'argent fin' (silver)”
Diameter59 mm“Diam. 59 mm.”
Escapementstraight-line lever“straight-line lever escapement”
Setting Mechanismpin-set“pin-set”
Signature LocationsDial, case, and movement“Signed on dial, case, and movement.”

Visible details

  • Case features a polished 'demi-bassine' construction
  • Movement displays cross-line damascening decoration
  • Hands are blued-steel in the Breguet style
  • Setting mechanism is a pin-set type

Research qualifications

  • The exact line caliber is written as '21???' in the source, indicating ambiguity or illegibility.
  • Condition grades for the case, movement, and dial are provided as ranges rather than definitive assessments.

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

Consulted source

L. Leroy & Cie., 13 & 15 Galerie Montpensier, Palais Royal, Paris, No. 14859, circa 1890.Fine 'argent fin' (silver) keyless watch.

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record ecea71b681

Terms in this record

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

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