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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Paris

Round enamelled watch

Verified

The case cover is decorated with a reproduction of a painting by Simon Vouet, “Madonna with the Rose”, engraved in 1638 by Claude Mellan (Marseille, Musée de Longchamp). The back shows a representation of Pierre Daret's engraving of The Holy Family (Fine Arts Museum, Grenoble) by the same painter, dating from around 1640.

Technical facts

Inventory number
MIH I-551
Object type
Pocket watch
Place of production
Paris
Dating
1640 - 1660
Materials and techniques (catalogue wording)
or, émail, laiton
Dimensions (catalogue)
Dimensions: 69.0 x 61.0 x 21.8 mm; poids: 126.500 g
Inscriptions (catalogue)
Goullons A Paris (Mouvement)

Historical significance

  • The case cover is decorated with a reproduction of a painting by Simon Vouet, “Madonna with the Rose”, engraved in 1638 by Claude Mellan (Marseille, Musée de Longchamp). The back shows a representation of Pierre Daret's engraving of The Holy Family (Fine Arts Museum, Grenoble) by the same painter, dating from around 1640.
  • The landscapes of the Roman countryside adorning the caseband and interior, as well as the centre of the dial, are copies from works by Paul Brill (1556-1626) engraved by G. Nieulant (Boeckh, book in preparation).
  • The hours are indicated by black enamel Roman numerals on a white ground. The gilded brass hand has an engraved strawberry flower at the centre and a fleur-de-lis tip.
  • The movement has a verge escapement, an annular balance, a fusee with gut cord, and a worm gear. The balance cock is engraved and pierced with scrollwork and strawberry flowers, while the signature has an engraved fleuron beneath it.
  • A watch in the National Museum of the Renaissance (Ecouen Castle, France) has a case decorated with the same Madonna with the Rose (1999, La Chaux-de-Fonds, n° 47, illus.)

Photographs

Round enamelled watch (MIH I-551)
Round enamelled watch (MIH I-551) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Round enamelled watch (MIH I-551)
Round enamelled watch (MIH I-551) — Musée international d'horlogerie, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Museum collection photograph, rights review pending. MIH collection record
Round enamelled watch (MIH I-551)
Round enamelled watch (MIH I-551) — 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-551: https://collection.mih.ch/fr/collection/item/38046/

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