Lot 434

Robert & Courvoisier

A rare Geneva verge pocket watch with two time zones

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Between 1760 and 1840 some principalities in Italy had already introduced the "mean time" with its two sets of 12 hours each, where midday and midnight lay at 12 o'clock respectively. Other principalities still adhered to the old "Italian time", so that travellers and inhabitants of the borderland areas needed two watches or watches with both time displays.

Robert & Courvoisier traces back to the company Josue Robert which was founded in 1770; the founder worked in the business with his sons, his grandson and his son-in-law Louis Courvoisier until his death a year later. In 1781 the company was renamed to "Josue Robert & Fils" and Louis Courvoisier had a share in it; he was manager of the pocket watch division. The officers’ pocket watches by Robert & Courvoisier had an excellent reputation around the beginning of the 19th century and were often marked with traders’ signatures such as those of a number of watch dealers from Vienna.