Pocket watch · Astronomical orrery-type double-face watch

Louis Audemars Astronomical Orrery-Type Double-Face Watch

Partially verified

This 18K gold and enamel astronomical orrery-type double-face watch is attributed to Louis Audemars of Brassus and Geneva, circa 1870. The timepiece features a double-face construction with a white enamel dial on one side, displaying two eccentric radial Roman chapters, subsidiary Arabic and Islamic numeral chapters, day of the week, date, and month indications. The reverse features an ornate hinged enamel cover depicting an astronomical display, including a blued steel plate engraved with hours and seasonal corrections, gold sun and moon, and gold stars against a blue enamel sky, with lower engravings depicting the horses of Helios and Ceres. The watch is powered by a frosted gilt, bar caliber movement with 19 jewels, a hanging barrel, a lateral counterpoised lever escapement, and a cut-bimetallic compensation balance. The case, measuring 55 mm in diameter, incorporates pushpieces in the band for the manual adjustment of calendar and astronomical functions.

Front and reverse views of the gold astronomical orrery-type watch. — Antiquorum. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source: catalog.antiquorum.swiss
Category: Pocket watch · Astronomical orrery-type double-face watch
Maker / attribution: Louis Audemars
Reference: Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier: 158
Source-reported date: circa 1870
Source-reported place: Switzerland

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 Construction

The watch features a three-body "bassine et filets" case in 18K gold and enamel. The band of the case is equipped with pushpieces intended for the manual settings of the calendar and astronomical indications. The case measures 55 mm in diameter.

The white enamel dial features two eccentric radial Roman chapters for double time zones, with outer minute divisions. The centers of these chapters are sunk and contain additional Arabic numerals on the right and Islamic numerals on the left. The dial also incorporates a sunk day of the week indicator at the top, a date display concentric with subsidiary sunk seconds below, and months indicated on the outer periphery.

Evidence for this section

“C. Three-body, "bassine et filets", polished, band with pushpieces for manual settings of the calendar and astronomical indications.”
“D. White enamel, to the right and left two eccentric radial Roman chapters with outer minute divisions, sunk centers with additional chapters: Arabic numerals to the right and Islamic to the left, sunk days of the week at the top, date concentric with subsidiary sunk seconds below, months on the outer periphery.”

Movement and Mechanics

The internal movement is a 43 mm (19 ligne) frosted gilt, bar caliber mechanism. It utilizes a hanging barrel and contains 19 jewels. The escapement is a lateral counterpoised lever type, complemented by a cut-bimetallic compensation balance with a Breguet balance spring.

A significant feature of the movement is the double setting mechanism, which facilitates the adjustment of the calendar and astronomical indications. The watch is classified by the auction description as an orrery-type, incorporating astronomical complications including phases of the moon, moon rise and set, and sunrise and sunset calculated for the latitude of Geneva.

Evidence for this section

“M. 43 mm (19???), frosted gilt, bar caliber with hanging barrel, 19 jewels, lateral counterpoised lever escapement, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with Breguet balance spring, very interesting double setting mechanism for the calendar and the astronomical indications.”
“astronomical orrery-type double-face watch with double time zone, calendar, phases of the moon, moon rise and set, and sunrise and sunset for the latitude of Geneva.”

Reverse Astronomical Display

The reverse side of the watch includes a hinged gold and enamel cover that serves as an astronomical display. At the top of this display is a cut semicircle fitted with a blued steel plate engraved with hours and seasonal corrections. Within this semicircle, a gold sun and a blued steel and gold moon travel across the sky.

The lower section of the reverse display features decorative engraving, showing the horses of Helios and the figure of Ceres with a cornucopia. The sky is rendered in blue enamel with gold stars, while the sunrise area includes fire painted in translucent red and yellow enamel.

Evidence for this section

“Reverse: hinged, gold and enamel, cut semicircle at the top fitted with blued steel plate engraved with hours and seasonal corrections, inside the semicircle gold sun, blued steel and gold moon traveling across the skies against the engraved hours, gold stars on the blue enamel sky, the lower part at the sunrise engraved with the horses of Helios riding the Sun through the skies, to the right Ceres with cornucopia, gold stars above, fire painted in translucent red and yellow enamel below”

Open research questions

What is the specific movement serial number, if any exists, to further confirm the attribution?
Can the astronomical complexity of the Geneva-specific sunset/sunrise display be verified against known Louis Audemars complications from the 1870s?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Louis Audemars Astronomical Orrery-Type Double-Face Watch
Field	Source-reported value	Source quotation
Maker	Attributable to Louis Audemars	“Attributable to Louis Audemars, Brassus & Geneva”
Date	circa 1870	“circa 1870”
Case Material	18K gold and enamel	“18K gold and enamel”
Movement Type	Frosted gilt, bar caliber	“frosted gilt, bar caliber with hanging barrel”
Jewel Count	19	“19 jewels”
Escapement	Lateral counterpoised lever	“lateral counterpoised lever escapement”
Case Diameter	55 mm	“Diam. 55 mm.”
Lot Identifier	158	“LOT 158”

Visible details

Pushpieces are located on the case band for manual setting of astronomical and calendar indications.
The reverse dial features pictorial enamel work including the horses of Helios and Ceres.
The watch includes dual time zone functionality and moon phase information.
The movement is a frosted gilt, bar caliber with 19 jewels.

Research qualifications

The exact date of manufacture is attributed rather than confirmed.
The specific attribution to Louis Audemars is stated as 'attributable to' rather than definitively signed or documented.

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

Consulted source

Attributable to Louis Audemars, Brassus & Geneva, circa 1870. Exceptional and highly important 18K gold and enamel, astronomical orrery-type double-face watch with double time zone, calendar, phases of the moon, moon rise and set, and sunrise and sunset for the latitude of Geneva.

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record 1c56548a24

Terms in this record

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