92nd Auction
2015/11/14
Lot 73
Gregson à Paris, No. 468, 54 mm, 72 g, circa 1790
A gentleman's very fine ornamental gold enamel pocket watch studded with half pearls and diamonds
Case: 18K gold and enamel, back with gallant scene: lovers in classical robes at the altar of love under a tree, studded with diamonds and half pearls, translucent cobalt blue enamel ground with engine-turned pattern; bezel decorated with gold paillon flower border on brown enamel ground, pendant with translucent blue enamelling, number and punch mark "CD". Dial: enamel, Roman numerals, signed, pierced filigree gold hands. Movm.: full plate movement, keywind, firegilt, three-arm brass balance, verge escapament, fine florally engraved and pierced balance bridge.
Jean-Pierre Gregson
Jean-Pierre Gregson originally came from England; he was appointed clockmaker to the royal court in Paris in 1776. The importance of his position was corroborated by the fact that in 1786 he was appointed a member of the commission for the establishment of a royal manufactory. The other members were the most famous makers of France - Breguet, Berthoud and Lepaute. Gregson was one of the first makers of his time to use Lépine's bridge caliber. However, after the outbreak of the French Revolution a position as maker to the court was not beneficial to Gregson's business anymore, so he abandoned the title quickly. While his repeating clock no. 2181 was still signed "Hor du Roy", no. 2276 only bore the signature "Hger à Paris". In 1790 Gregson returned to London to be safe. He established a new workshop and called it "Gregson London". He continued to build French style clocks and kept his old numbering system.
Source: Tardy "Dictionnaire des Horlogers Francais", Paris 1972, p. 272 and http://watch-wiki.de/index.php?title=Gregson,_Jean_Pierre, as of 03/22/2011.
A gentleman's very fine ornamental gold enamel pocket watch studded with half pearls and diamonds
Case: 18K gold and enamel, back with gallant scene: lovers in classical robes at the altar of love under a tree, studded with diamonds and half pearls, translucent cobalt blue enamel ground with engine-turned pattern; bezel decorated with gold paillon flower border on brown enamel ground, pendant with translucent blue enamelling, number and punch mark "CD". Dial: enamel, Roman numerals, signed, pierced filigree gold hands. Movm.: full plate movement, keywind, firegilt, three-arm brass balance, verge escapament, fine florally engraved and pierced balance bridge.
Jean-Pierre Gregson
Jean-Pierre Gregson originally came from England; he was appointed clockmaker to the royal court in Paris in 1776. The importance of his position was corroborated by the fact that in 1786 he was appointed a member of the commission for the establishment of a royal manufactory. The other members were the most famous makers of France - Breguet, Berthoud and Lepaute. Gregson was one of the first makers of his time to use Lépine's bridge caliber. However, after the outbreak of the French Revolution a position as maker to the court was not beneficial to Gregson's business anymore, so he abandoned the title quickly. While his repeating clock no. 2181 was still signed "Hor du Roy", no. 2276 only bore the signature "Hger à Paris". In 1790 Gregson returned to London to be safe. He established a new workshop and called it "Gregson London". He continued to build French style clocks and kept his old numbering system.
Source: Tardy "Dictionnaire des Horlogers Francais", Paris 1972, p. 272 and http://watch-wiki.de/index.php?title=Gregson,_Jean_Pierre, as of 03/22/2011.
Sold
estimated
9.000—15.000 €
Price realized
9.000 €