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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Paris

Montre décimale

Verified

Decimal watch. Punch marks: AF crowned with a fleur-de-lis and N° 66367 on interior of case. Dust-cap signed: Fres Esquivillon & De Choudens. Dial signed: Fres Esquivillon & De Choudens Movement engraved: N° 66367. Circa 1793

Technical facts

Inventory number
MIH I-107
Object type
Pocket watch
Place of production
Paris
Dating
c. 1793
Materials and techniques (catalogue wording)
argent, émail, verre, laiton
Dimensions (catalogue)
dimensions d'exposition: 80.3 x 55.2 x 20.6 mm; poids: 105.000 g
Inscriptions (catalogue)
AF couronné d'une fleur de lys (Intérieur du boîtier); N° 66367 (Intérieur du boîtier); Fres Esquivillon & De Choudens (Cache-poussière); Fres Esquivillon & De Choudens (Cadran); N° 66367 (Mouvement)

Historical significance

  • Decimal watch. Punch marks: AF crowned with a fleur-de-lis and N° 66367 on interior of case. Dust-cap signed: Fres Esquivillon & De Choudens. Dial signed: Fres Esquivillon & De Choudens Movement engraved: N° 66367. Circa 1793
  • The case is polished silver. On the outer chapter ring, which is divided into five hundred parts, the white enamel dial indicates the decimal minutes and the five decimal hours, painted in Arabic numerals. The divisions for duodecimal hours and minutes appear in the centre.
  • This arrangement means that only two hands are needed to indicate both the duodecimal and decimal times. The long blued steel hand indicates the decimal hours and minutes, also duodecimal hours simultaneously, while the gilded brass hand indicates the duodecimal minutes.
  • The movement has a fusee and with and a verge escapement.

Photographs

Montre décimale (MIH I-107)
Montre décimale (MIH I-107) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Montre décimale (MIH I-107)
Montre décimale (MIH I-107) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Montre décimale (MIH I-107)
Montre décimale (MIH I-107) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record

Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.

Sources & references

  1. Musée international d'horlogerie, online collection record, inv. I-107: https://collection.mih.ch/fr/collection/item/36091/

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.