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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Watch with a Demimondaine

Partially verified

This watch, identified as object BK-VBR-360 in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, is a gold and copper timepiece dated to between approximately 1775 and 1800. The watch features a white enamel dial with black Roman numerals and individual minute markers, signed "Vauchez A PARIS" centrally. The dial is encircled by a decorative bezel set with small stones. The case back is reported to feature an enamel portrait of a woman, a detail associated with its Dutch title, "Horloge met galante dame." The object is noted by the museum to incorporate both copper and gold in its construction and measures 4 cm in diameter. Its documentation confirms the object's presence in a institutional collection, providing a formal context for its physical attributes and general chronological classification within the late 18th century.

View of the dial of the Vauchez pocket watch, showing the white enamel face, stone-set bezel, and the signature 'Vauchez A PARIS'.
View of the dial of the Vauchez pocket watch, showing the white enamel face, stone-set bezel, and the signature 'Vauchez A PARIS'. — Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Vauchez
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
BK-VBR-360
Source-reported date
c. 1775 - c. 1800
Source-reported place
Not established

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

Dial and Case Aesthetics

The watch features a white enamel dial, which acts as the primary interface for time indication. It utilizes standard black-printed Roman numerals for hour tracking, while Arabic numerals spaced at five-minute intervals indicate the minutes. The central signature indicates the maker as Vauchez, with the city of Paris inscribed below the hands.

The case exterior is distinguished by a perimeter set with small, clear stones that frame the crystal. The back of the case is documented as housing an enamel portrait of a woman, which serves as the visual focus for the object's identification as a piece of jewellery-oriented horology.

Evidence for this section
  • “On the case, a woman's portrait in enamel, decorated with stones.”

Construction and Materials

According to the records provided by the Rijksmuseum, the object is composed of a combination of base and precious metals.

The diameter of the watch is 4 cm, a size consistent with pocket watches of the late 18th century intended for personal wear.

Evidence for this section
  • “material recorded as copper (metal), gold (metal)”
  • “diameter 4 cm”

Provenance and Documentation

This object is held within the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam under the accession number BK-VBR-360. Its identification is supported by the museum’s internal cataloging system, which preserves the object's original Dutch title, "Horloge met galante dame."

While the record provides verified physical descriptions, it notes that the specifics regarding the maker's history and the broader context of the object's creation remain subjects for further research.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-VBR-360”

Open research questions

  • What are the specific technical specifications of the movement within BK-VBR-360?
  • Does the portrait on the case back represent a specific historical figure or a generic 'galante' type?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Watch with a Demimondaine
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Museum Object NumberBK-VBR-360“BK-VBR-360”
Holding InstitutionRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam”
Datec. 1775 - c. 1800“c. 1775 - c. 1800”
Materialcopper and gold“material recorded as copper (metal), gold (metal)”
Diameter4 cm“diameter 4 cm”
Original TitleHorloge met galante dame“Horloge met galante dame”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial featuring Roman numerals for hours and Arabic numerals for minutes.
  • Bezel decorated with a border of small, reflective stones.
  • Central signature 'Vauchez A PARIS' clearly visible on the dial.
  • Gold-toned bow and stem assembly at the top of the watch case.

Research qualifications

  • The maker attribution to 'Vauchez' is based on the dial signature and requires further horological verification.
  • The specific identity of the portrait on the reverse is not detailed beyond the term 'galante dame'.

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

Consulted source

Watch with a Demimondaine

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 0f2fb9bddf

Terms in this record

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

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