Lot 179

Chevalier & Comp.

An ornamental gold enamel verge pocket watch, studded with half-pearls

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This charming pocket watch features an enamel medallion on the back with a finely painted miniature of a young lady in a white dress, gently smiling. She holds grapes and apples in her hands, and a few trees appear in the background. The medallion is framed by an oval row of half-pearls. The ground is decorated with an elaborate guilloche pattern and translucent cobalt-blue enamel. A row of half-pearls adorns the edge on both the front and back, and the blue enamel detailing continues onto the pendant.

The company Chevalier & Cie or Chevalier & Compagnie was listed in the records of Geneva in the 1790s. We cannot say yet whether Jacob Chevalier - who worked in Geneva during the second half of the 18th century, on his own at first and later with Mathey - is in any way connected to Chevalier & Cie but looking at the chronology, it is quite possible that Chevalier & Mathey (1786-1792) was the forerunner of this company.