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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Women's pocket watch

Women's pocket watch by Jean-Antoine Lépine

Partially verified

This women's pocket watch, held in the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest, is attributed to the maker Jean-Antoine Lépine. The piece is constructed from 18-karat gold and features extensive decorative elements, including enamel, diamonds, rubies, and pearls. The watch measures 4.9 cm in diameter, has a total length of 7.1 cm, a thickness of 2 cm, and weighs 52.50 grams. The enamel dial is encased within an octagonal gold housing, with the signature L'EPINE and the inscription INVENIT ET FECIT visible on the dial. The overall design incorporates intricate colored enameling around the bezel and the winding pendant. As a museum-held object, it is documented within the Europeana database under the identifier /1048/imm_object_28237.

A frontal view of the women's pocket watch featuring an octagonal gold case decorated with enamel and gems.
A frontal view of the women's pocket watch featuring an octagonal gold case decorated with enamel and gems. — Museum of Applied Arts Budapest via Europeana. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Women's pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Jean-Antoine Lépine
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
/1048/imm_object_28237
Source-reported date
Not established
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

Case and Dial Design

The perimeter of the case and the dial frame are adorned with elaborate polychrome enamel work, displaying repetitive floral or geometric patterns.

The dial is rendered in white enamel, featuring Roman numerals for the primary hour markers. An outer minute track utilizes Arabic numerals spaced at five-minute intervals. The signature L'EPINE is centrally positioned above the central arbor, with the Latin phrase INVENIT ET FECIT located below, indicating the maker's claim of both invention and execution of the work. The pendant is similarly decorated with enamel, maintaining stylistic consistency with the case.

Evidence for this section
  • “arany (18 karátos); zománc; gyémánt; rubin; gyöngy”
  • “L'Epine, Jean-Antoine”

Institutional Documentation

This timepiece is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest. It is recorded within the museum's inventory and indexed in the Europeana database under identification number /1048/imm_object_28237. The documentation provided by the institution includes detailed physical specifications, such as its weight of 52.50 grams and specific dimensions, alongside an itemized list of materials used in its construction.

The museum maintains records that attribute the piece directly to Jean-Antoine Lépine. While the record is considered documented, the museum notes that this information is sourced from their internal archives. There is currently no independent, external catalogue reference provided for this specific specimen, emphasizing that the primary understanding of the object is derived from the institutional entry.

Evidence for this section
  • “Museum of Applied Arts Budapest”
  • “Europeana id /1048/imm_object_28237”
  • “These details come from the holding museum's own record”

Physical Characteristics and Condition

The watch is defined by its substantial gold construction, utilizing 18-karat gold as the base material. The integration of precious and semi-precious stones, including diamonds, rubies, and pearls, suggests a high degree of ornamentation. These materials are noted alongside enamel, which appears as the primary decorative medium on the case's exterior and the dial itself.

The measurement data provided by the museum indicates a diameter of 4.9 cm, making it a significant object for a pocket watch. The thickness of 2 cm and the total length, inclusive of the pendant and bow, reaching 7.1 cm, illustrate its physical proportions. While the records provide these technical details, the current operational state of the movement is not reported in the available documentation, and the object's history remains tied to the institution's collection records.

Evidence for this section
  • “átmérő: 4,9 cm; hosszúság: 7,1 cm; vastagság: 2 cm; súly: 52,50 g”

Open research questions

  • What is the internal movement configuration and escapement type associated with this Lépine octagonal watch?
  • Does the museum inventory provide a date of origin or acquisition history for this piece?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Women's pocket watch by Jean-Antoine Lépine
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerJean-Antoine Lépine“maker recorded: L'Epine, Jean-Antoine.”
Materials18-karat gold, enamel, diamond, ruby, pearl“arany (18 karátos); zománc; gyémánt; rubin; gyöngy”
Diameter4.9 cm“átmérő: 4,9 cm”
Weight52.50 g“súly: 52,50 g”
Length7.1 cm“hosszúság: 7,1 cm”
Thickness2 cm“vastagság: 2 cm”

Visible details

  • Octagonal watch case with decorative enamel work
  • White enamel dial with Roman numerals for hours and Arabic numerals for minutes
  • Signature L'EPINE inscribed on the dial
  • Decorative enameled winding pendant at the top of the case

Research qualifications

  • Material composition and dimensions are based solely on institutional records
  • Attribution to Jean-Antoine Lépine is provided by the holding museum without further corroborating provenance

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

Consulted source

Women's pocket watch, L'Epine, Jean-Antoine

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record abd0c5f258

Terms in this record

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

Other women's pocket watch records