Lot 351

I. Vrythoff Le Jeune Maestricht, 57 mm, 188 g, circa 1690
A pair-cased Dutch verge pocket watch with one hand and alarm
Case: outer case - silver, leather cover, applied golden stud decoration. Inner case - silver, rear bell. Dial: silver, champlevé, central alarm disc. Movm.: full plate movement, chain/fusee, pierced barrel for alarm, 1 hammer, three-arm steel balance.
The inner case is finely finished, with open-work scroll ornamentation for the alarm sound that is additionally decorated with a stylized Atlas. The ornate balance cock and the engraved gilt alarm barrel are particularly striking.
The arrow hand sits on the central disc and shows the time on the outer hour ring with Roman numerals placed on round cartouches. The central steel hand can be adjusted to set the alarm on the alarm disc with its Arabic numerals. The alarm is sounded when the hand points to 12 on the hour dial.