WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE

WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE

PART TWO OF FOUR

WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE 

About the turn of the century case styles altered dramatically. The drum shape favoured by the Germans gave way to the oval, round, square and more exotic form cases such as stars, crosses, shells, flowers and birds. Casemaking had now become the task of the lapidist, enameller and a little later the gold and silversmiths. Apart from the cloisonne and champleve work already seen on dials and cases, there now appeared other forms of enamelwork. Beautiful examples can be seen with scenes painted in enamel. It is generally acknowledged that the fine enamel work of this period was never surpassed.

This type of enamel painting, in which pictures are painted in colours using metallic oxides on a white background enamel, seems to have been originated by Jean Toutin (1578-1644) of Chateaudun in France. It is not known how or when enamel painting began in Geneva. Jean Petitot (1607-91) acquired a wide reputation there (even as discoverer of the method) but this may have been due more to his renown as a miniature enamel painter. While the origins of the industry in Geneva are obscure, it was the Huaud family who raised Geneva to the level of Blois. Pierre Huaud (b. 1612) painted his first watches around mid-century and passed the craft on to his three sons. A characteristic of Huaud watches is enamelling on the dial as well as on the bottom of the case.

WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE 

The relatively fragile enamelled cases necessitated some form of pro­tection. Originally made of stiffened leather, by mid-century these outer cases were of metal covered with leather, shagreen, tortoiseshell and often decorated with pique work. Perversely the inner case became plainer with the outer case receiving more attention. Although there continued to be made some highly decorative cases, towards the middle of the century there was introduced in England a simple watch with both outer and inner silver cases completely devoid of any form of embellish­ment. This innovation is generally attributed to firstly the Puritan influence and then to the introduction of the pocketed waistcoat.

WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE

The lead in the field of watchmaking had initially been held by the German makers, but at a time when watches were regarded not as serious timekeepers but merely beautiful baubles, the French with their natural flair for artistic work rapidly overtook and passed them. The English makers, although somewhat tardy in the 16th century, were to dominate in the 17th with what in modern parlance would be described as a tech­nical breakthrough.

WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE 

This was the successful application of the balance spring to a watch by Thomas Tompion in 1675. There are several claimants to the invention of this device, but in this particular watch by Tompion tribute is paid to Robert Hooke as the inventor. Although the use of a balance spring did not solve all the problems that needed to be overcome before the watch became a precision timekeeper it most certainly did change its role. Cases became much plainer and simpler: the improved accuracy warranted the addition of a minute hand, and shortly after this a seconds hand.

Geneva was the centre for specialists in rock crystal cases for almost a century. A particularly good example of such a watch, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, was made by Jean Rousseau (1606-84), grandfather of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The bottom as well as the cover over the dial are in rock crystal carved into 12 foils converg­ing on a central hollow. The frame is in gilt metal and the hand in the form of a flower.

WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE

A variation on the design of rock crystal watches which also originated in Geneva were the so-called 'abbess watches' made in the form of a cross with the dial decorated with scenes from the life of Christ. Two examples of these watches, one by Jean Rousseau and the other by David Rousseau, are in the British Museum. The former watch employs a fusee with a catgut line, while the other uses a chain instead. Rock crystal watch cases were also made in the shape of flowers, particularly the tulip.

WATCH COLLECTING GUIDE 

An unusual type of Genevese watch were those made in the shape of a skull or emaciated head, which, it is said, were used by monks who attached them to their rosary beads to remind them constantly of the brevity of life. The skull case was hinged at the rear and opened along the jaw-line. The oldest signed Geneva watch is just such a watch. It is dated 1620 and was made by Martin Duboule (1583-1639). Jean Rousseau also made skull-case watches.