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拍品专文
This exquisite rock crystal pendant watch is a well preserved and very attractive example of a seventeenth century crucifix form-watch. Very seldom seen at auction, crucifix watches are represented in several of the world’s great museum collections. A similar watch with almost identical pendant to the present watch is in the Louvre (Inv. OA 7040) and an almost identical watch is in the British Museum Collection (inv. 74, 7-18, 28).
In keeping with the crucifix-form case, the decoration of the lower part of the dial plate is engraved with a scene of Christ on the cross accompanied by Mary and Mary Magdalene, the arms are engraved with the tools and implements of crucifixion. From the style of the set-up and the balance cock secured by a screw rather than being pinned, the present watch can be dated to around the middle to third quarter of the seventeenth century but naturally before the invention of the balance spring in the 1670s.
Jean Rousseau
Jean Rousseau the younger (1606-1684) was an eminent watchmaker and Master of the Clockmakers' Company of Geneva. He was the great-grandfather of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He was known for making form watches and complicated pieces such as clockwatches, alarm watches and astronomical watches. Among his apprentices were some of Geneva’s best watchmakers including Isaac Bordier and Amédée Marchand.
Crucifix form watches
Following the "Ordonnances somptuaires" introduced by the reformer Jean Calvin in 1558, the new rules for goldsmiths implemented in 1566 forbid the manufacture of "crosses, chalices or other instruments serving the papacy or the idolatry". Nevertheless the clandestine distribution of these very popular watches continued until things were eased a few decades later and goldsmiths, enamellers and watchmakers of Geneva could again officially make crucifix form watches, sometimes called "montre d'abbesse". Signatures found on such watches are for example Pierre Duhamel (1630-1686), Charles Bobinet (1610-1678), Jérémie Delafeuille and notably Jean Rousseau. These watches were generally fitted with a dial decorated with motifs from the passion and crucifixion and rock crystal covers.
See: Les Montres et Horloges de Table du Musée du Louvre, Vol. II, Catherine Cardinal, 2000, pp. 72-79.
In keeping with the crucifix-form case, the decoration of the lower part of the dial plate is engraved with a scene of Christ on the cross accompanied by Mary and Mary Magdalene, the arms are engraved with the tools and implements of crucifixion. From the style of the set-up and the balance cock secured by a screw rather than being pinned, the present watch can be dated to around the middle to third quarter of the seventeenth century but naturally before the invention of the balance spring in the 1670s.
Jean Rousseau
Jean Rousseau the younger (1606-1684) was an eminent watchmaker and Master of the Clockmakers' Company of Geneva. He was the great-grandfather of the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He was known for making form watches and complicated pieces such as clockwatches, alarm watches and astronomical watches. Among his apprentices were some of Geneva’s best watchmakers including Isaac Bordier and Amédée Marchand.
Crucifix form watches
Following the "Ordonnances somptuaires" introduced by the reformer Jean Calvin in 1558, the new rules for goldsmiths implemented in 1566 forbid the manufacture of "crosses, chalices or other instruments serving the papacy or the idolatry". Nevertheless the clandestine distribution of these very popular watches continued until things were eased a few decades later and goldsmiths, enamellers and watchmakers of Geneva could again officially make crucifix form watches, sometimes called "montre d'abbesse". Signatures found on such watches are for example Pierre Duhamel (1630-1686), Charles Bobinet (1610-1678), Jérémie Delafeuille and notably Jean Rousseau. These watches were generally fitted with a dial decorated with motifs from the passion and crucifixion and rock crystal covers.
See: Les Montres et Horloges de Table du Musée du Louvre, Vol. II, Catherine Cardinal, 2000, pp. 72-79.