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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Virgule escapement pocket watch

Virgule Chatelaine Watch

Partially verified

This Swiss pocket watch, dated to approximately 1790, features a gilt virgule escapement and central seconds. The gilt movement is equipped with a hanging barrel, blued steel polished stop-work, and gear train components, including the barrel and pinions, which feature wolf's teeth profiles. A simple three-armed gilt balance is positioned beneath the virgule wheel, controlled by a steel regulator without a graduated scale. The watch has a white enamel dial with signed script, Arabic numerals, and decorative openwork gold hands. The case is gold, decorated with translucent blue and white enamel, with a polychrome coat of arms on a dark blue guilloché ground. The cuvette is gilt, signed, and numbered, featuring a lever to stop the balance. The watch is accompanied by a matching gold and enamel macaroni-style chatelaine with gold chain links and a coordinating enamel key.

Full view of the gold and enamel Virgule chatelaine watch, showing the case back, chains, and matching winding key.
Full view of the gold and enamel Virgule chatelaine watch, showing the case back, chains, and matching winding key. — Pieces of Time. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
zamanito.com
Category
Pocket watch · Virgule escapement pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Rojard, à Geneve
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1790
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 Chatelaine

The watch case is constructed from gold and embellished with translucent blue and white enamel. The reverse of the case displays a detailed polychrome family crest set against a dark blue ground, featuring engine-turned (guilloché) decoration. The back cover is spring-loaded and opens via a button located on the pendant.

The timepiece is paired with a matching macaroni-style chatelaine made of gold and enamel, connected by gold chains. This ensemble includes various rectangular and octagonal cartridges, with a coordinating enamel winding key suspended from one of the shorter chains, similarly decorated with a family crest.

Evidence for this section
  • “قاب ساعت از طلا و میناکاری شفاف آبی و سفید تشکیل شده که در پشت آن نشان خانوادگی چندرنگ روی مینای آبی تیره و زمینه‌ای با نقش موتورچرخان (engine turned) اجرا شده است.”
  • “به همراه ساعت، یک شاتلن بلند هماهنگ از نوع ماکارونی (macaroni) از جنس طلا و میناکاری عرضه شده”

Movement and Escapement

The movement is a gilt, key-wound caliber featuring a hanging barrel with polished blue steel stop-work. The transmission train, including the barrel and pinions, utilizes wolf's teeth profiling. The balance assembly consists of a simple three-armed gilt balance wheel situated beneath a gold virgule escapement.

Adjustment is facilitated by a steel regulator that lacks an external graduated scale. A specific feature of this movement is the integration of a small lever on the edge of the gilt, signed, and numbered inner cuvette, which allows the user to stop the balance movement.

Evidence for this section
  • “موتور کوکی زراندود این اثر دارای بارل معلق با استاپ‌ورک فولادی آبی‌شده و پولیش‌خورده بوده و تمامی چرخ‌دنده‌های قطار انتقال قدرت، بارل و پینیون‌ها دارای پروفیل دندانه گرگی (wolf's teeth) هستند.”
  • “سرپوش داخلی (cuvette) زراندود و دارای امضا و شماره بوده و اهرم کوچکی برای توقف حرکت رقاصک در لبه آن تعبیه شده است.”

Dial and Hands

The dial is composed of white enamel and is signed by the maker, Rojard. It features Arabic numerals to indicate the hours. The time is displayed via decorative openwork gold hands.

The inclusion of a central seconds hand distinguishes this watch, which operates alongside the virgule escapement system designed for performance and compact architecture.

Evidence for this section
  • “صفحه ساعت از مینای سفید با امضا، ارقام عربی و عقربه‌های طلایی مشبک تزئینی ساخته شده است.”
  • “عقربه‌های طلایی مشبک تزئینی و ثانیه‌شمار مرکزی”

Open research questions

  • What is the genealogical origin or family associated with the depicted coat of arms?
  • Does the serial number on the cuvette correlate to any known records for the maker Rojard in Geneva?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Virgule Chatelaine Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
EscapementVirgule escapement“مهار ویرگول (virgule) از جنس طلا”
Datecirca 1790“حدود ۱۷۹۰”
Dial typeWhite enamel dial“صفحه ساعت از مینای سفید با امضا، ارقام عربی و عقربه‌های طلایی مشبک تزئینی ساخته شده است.”
Movement typeKey-wind gilt caliber“موتور کوکی زراندود این اثر دارای بارل معلق با استاپ‌ورک فولادی آبی‌شده”
Chatelaine typeMacaroni style“شاتلن بلند هماهنگ از نوع ماکارونی (macaroni) از جنس طلا و میناکاری عرضه شده”
Stop mechanismBalance stop lever“اهرم کوچکی برای توقف حرکت رقاصک در لبه آن تعبیه شده است.”

Visible details

  • Case features a polychrome coat of arms on engine-turned blue enamel
  • White enamel dial signed 'Rojard, à Geneve'
  • Chatelaine includes rectangular and octagonal cartridges
  • Wolf's teeth gear profiles visible in the movement mechanism

Research qualifications

  • The exact identification of the armorial bearings is not provided
  • The provenance of the object is not stated beyond its inclusion in the collection

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

Consulted source

Exceptionally Rare Virgule Chatelaine Watch

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 2614596a58

Terms in this record

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