Probably Geneva, 60 x 32 mm

, circa 1830

An extremely rare and remarkable ornamental gold enamel watch key with musical movement - with original case

Case: gold and polychrome enamel. Transverse oval case with engraved serpents winding around it. Front with upright oval enamel medallion with polychrome painting: sailing vessel before a coastal town with trees in the background and a mountain against the blue sky. Around the scene is an engraved border surrounded by Champlevé branches, serpents and vases with flowers; turquoise-coloured bordure around the rim. The back shows a similar decoration: concave transverse oval medallion with a sailing vessel and a house, in the background mountains against a night-blue sky. Engraved border, Champlevé flowers and a vase with flowers; turquoise-coloured bordure around the rim. Winding device at the top, decorated with a serpent. Movm.: oval miniature movement, barrel with 104 pins and 9 vibrating plates.

Illustrated and described in: "The Keys of Time" by Yves Droz, France 2012, p. 325-329.
#40765

Case: very good,
Movm.: very good, capable of running