Lot 414

Daniel de St. Leu

Watch Maker to her Majesty

An important, heavy pair-cased verge pocket watch with quarter hour strike for the Ottoman market - with matching watch chain made of 14 K gold

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The excellently preserved, elaborately decorated outer case has ornate, openwork sound holes on the edge and a decoration of flower garlands. In the centre is a coat of arms with crescents surrounded by trophies of war and framed by a garland of leaves and flowers. The golden inner case is similarly elaborately engraved, with an open-worked rim and lush floral decoration. A slide in the case band allows the quarter-hour strike to be turned off.

The Geneva watchmaker Daniel de Saint Leu (active 1753-1797) worked in Geneva and London, where he was appointed watchmaker to the queen in 1765. Saint Leu was renowned for very fine enamelled and varicolored gold watches set with diamonds and precious stones, and repeating watches for the Turkish and Islamic markets. He also made a magnificent silver-mounted watch for the Court of Spain. Although de Saint Leu himself was only active until about 1797, the company continued to make watches under his name for roughly another 15 years.