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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Enamelled pocket watch

Watch on the marriage of Willem II and Mary Henrietta Stuart

Partially verified

This horological object is a gold and enamel pocket watch from 1641, commemorating the marriage of Willem II and Mary Henrietta Stuart. The object is attributed to the French enameller Henri Toutin and the Paris-based watchmaker Antoine Masurier. The watch features extensive enamel decoration: the exterior lid depicts Willem II and Mary Stuart watching Ariadne, while the underside shows Neptune transporting the couple toward a bank featuring the heraldry of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, and Gelderland. The interior lid is decorated with a scene representing the marriage of Willem and Mary Stuart. The movement is signed by Antoine Masurier.

The open pocket watch showing the enamel-decorated interior lid and the dial.
The open pocket watch showing the enamel-decorated interior lid and the dial. — Rijksmuseum. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
www.rijksmuseum.nl
Category
Pocket watch · Enamelled pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Henri Toutin (enameller), Antoine Masurier (movement)
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
BK-NM-638
Source-reported date
1641
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

Enamelled Exterior and Case Design

The exterior of the gold case is entirely covered in complex polychrome enamel work. The top lid features a scene of Willem II and Mary Stuart viewing Ariadne. The underside depicts Neptune transporting the couple toward a shoreline featuring the coats of arms for the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, and Gelderland.

The band of the watch case presents a panoramic view of two major European cities, London and The Hague. These landscapes are divided by the coats of arms of the houses of Orange, England, and France, linking the political context of the marriage to the decorative scheme of the object.

Evidence for this section
  • “Op de bovenzijde: Willem II en Maria Stuart die naar Ariadne kijken.”
  • “Op de onderkant: Neptunus die deze personen naar een oever vaart waarop vrouwen staan met de wapens van Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht en Gelderland.”
  • “Op de zijkant panorama van Londen en 's-Gravenhage gescheiden door het wapen van Oranje en Engeland en Frankrijk.”

Signatures and Attribution

The watch carries signatures for both the enameller and the horologist. The enameller Henri Toutin signed the watch in multiple locations, including along the edge of the lid and near the hinge.

The movement is signed by the watchmaker Antoine Masurier of Paris, confirming the collaborative production between the enamel artist and the Parisian horological workshop. These signatures allow the object to be clearly linked to the Toutin and Masurier production history.

Evidence for this section
  • “signatuur, langs de rand van de deksel: ‘Hen. Toutin’”
  • “signatuur, op de achterplaat van het uurwerk: ‘Antoine Masurier/ AParis’”
  • “signatuur, bij het scharnier van de deksel: ‘[He]nry Toutin’”

Internal Decorative Features

The interior surface of the watch lid is finished with a miniature painting depicting the wedding ceremony of Willem II and Mary Stuart. This focal piece serves as the core narrative element of the watch, linking its decorative artistic content directly to the 1641 historical event it commemorates.

This internal scene complements the exterior narrative, providing a unified thematic experience for the viewer when the watch is opened.

Evidence for this section
  • “In de binnenzijde is het huwelijk van Willem met Maria Stuart afgebeeld.”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific type of escapement used in the Antoine Masurier movement?
  • Does the interior mechanical construction suggest the watch was originally a pendant or a pocket-carried timepiece?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Watch on the marriage of Willem II and Mary Henrietta Stuart
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Object NumberBK-NM-638“Objectnummer BK-NM-638”
Date1641“Datering 1641”
EnamellerHenri Toutin“emailleur: Henri Toutin, Parijs”
Movement MakerAntoine Masurier“uurwerkmaker: Antoine Masurier, Parijs”
Signature locationLid edge, hinge, and movement plate“signatuur, langs de rand van de deksel: ‘Hen. Toutin’”
MaterialsGold, enamel, and various materials for the movement“Fysieke kenmerken goud, email; uurwerk: diverse materialen”
SubjectMarriage of Willem II and Mary Henrietta Stuart“Horloge op het huwelijk van Willem II en Maria Henrietta Stuart”

Visible details

  • The watch dial features a central painted scene surrounded by a chapter ring with Roman numerals.
  • The watch case is decorated with polychrome enamels showing historical and heraldic themes.
  • The watch is equipped with a singular ornate metal hand.
  • The interior of the lid depicts a wedding scene rendered in miniature enamel painting.

Research qualifications

  • The exact provenance history before inclusion in the Rijksmuseum collection remains documented in bibliographic records but is not summarized in the provided entry.
  • The technical specifications of the movement, beyond the maker's signature, are not detailed in the source.

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

Consulted source

Watch, 1641

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 14f7059c79

Terms in this record

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

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