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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Watch by Jacques Goullons

Partially verified

This pocket watch was made by Jacques Goullons, a maker active in Paris during the mid-seventeenth century. Dated to approximately 1645–48, the watch measures 5.6 cm in diameter. Its construction incorporates an enameled gold case and dial, a steel hand, and a movement composed of brass, partly gilded, and steel. The exterior of the case is decorated with intricate enameling, and the movement is signed by the maker. The Metropolitan Museum of Art currently holds this object in its Robert Lehman Collection. Further study is required to verify the attribution of the watch within the broader context of seventeenth-century horology and to establish the technical specifications of the movement beyond its stated composition.

Case back of the pocket watch by Jacques Goullons, featuring elaborate enameled floral motifs.
Case back of the pocket watch by Jacques Goullons, featuring elaborate enameled floral motifs. — The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Robert Lehman Collection, 1975. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Jacques Goullons
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
1975.1.1244
Source-reported date
ca. 1645–48
Source-reported place
France

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 case and dial fashioned from gold, finished with elaborate enamel work. The case band is decorated with small painted landscape scenes interspersed with gilded metal figures, including molded cherub faces set among floral patterns. The colors utilized in the enamel include shades of blue for the landscapes, accented with white and red floral details against a gilded ground.

The exterior case back shows a dense, symmetrical pattern of enameled flowers and leaves, using a palette of green, gold, and light blue. A single steel hand indicates the time on the dial, which is protected when the watch is closed. The overall diameter of the object is recorded at 5.6 cm.

Evidence for this section
  • “Case and dial of enameled gold”
  • “Diameter of case 5.6 cm”

Movement and Signature

The internal movement is constructed primarily of brass, which is partially gilded, with additional steel components. The balance cock is shaped with detailed openwork scroll designs. The maker's name is prominently engraved on the main plate of the movement.

The signature, legible on the gilded plate, identifies the work as that of Goullons, centered in Paris.

Evidence for this section
  • “movement of brass, partly gilded, and steel”

Provenance and Documentation

This watch is part of the Robert Lehman Collection held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The object is catalogued under the accession number 1975.1.1244. Documentation provided by the museum attributes the piece to the French maker Jacques Goullons.

The record reflects the current state of documentation as provided by the holding institution. No additional provenance or literature history is listed within the source material provided for this cataloguing exercise.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this object as 1975.1.1244”
  • “Jacques Goullons (French, recorded 1626, active Paris ca. 1640–60, died 1671)”

Open research questions

  • Are there comparable movements surviving by Jacques Goullons that confirm this internal configuration is original to the maker?
  • Can the specific enamel techniques used on the case be linked to known Parisian enamellers of the 1640s?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Watch by Jacques Goullons
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerJacques Goullons“Jacques Goullons (French, recorded 1626, active Paris ca. 1640–60, died 1671)”
Dateca. 1645–48“ca. 1645–48”
Case MaterialEnameled gold“Case and dial of enameled gold”
Movement MaterialBrass and steel“movement of brass, partly gilded, and steel”
Diameter5.6 cm“Diameter of case 5.6 cm”
Museum Number1975.1.1244“1975.1.1244”

Visible details

  • Floral enamel motif on the case exterior, rendered in white, gold, and green tones
  • Movement features a bridge-style balance cock with intricate metalwork

Research qualifications

  • The wider type and specific dating of the object require confirmation against specialist references
  • The attribution to Jacques Goullons is based on museum records which have not been independently verified for this entry

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

Consulted source

Watch, Jacques Goullons, ca. 1645–48

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 1875190916

Terms in this record

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

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