Lot 103

Dimier & Cie. à Genève, 62 mm, 146 g, circa 1840
An impressive enamel pocket watch with centre seconds, studded with half pearls for the Chinese market - "Bouquet of Spring Flowers"
Case: silver, gilt, polychrome enamel, split pearls, glazed movement. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement, steel, polished, keywind, standing barrel, Chinese duplex escapement, steel escape wheel with double locking teeth, three-arm steel balance set with rubies.
The exquisitely painted enamel medallion on the back is of supreme quality and shows a beautiful flower arrangement with roses, tulips, pansies and other spring flowers on rose-coloured ground. The bezels on both sides as well as the pendant and the bow are studded with half pearls.
Jean Antoine Dimier (1795-1863) founded Dimier & Cie. in Geneva in the early 19th century. Later records show that around 1835 the company had its premises at Rue Croix d'Or 27. Dimier specialized in miniature pocket watches in gold and enamel or gilt brass cases that were often decorated with floral enamel ornaments and pearls; the watches were usually intended for the Chinese market. As the Chinese customers usually preferred large and impressive watches, Dimier’s miniature timepieces were a rarity in their time.
Dimier’s sons Charles-Louis (1822-1896) and Auguste-Antoine (1824-1891) studied at the college of Geneva and trained as watchmakers in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Around 1846 they moved to Fleurier; Auguste worked as a watchmaker, his brother Charles was a sales director. Charles moved to Canton around 1847 and established the company Dimier & Cie. Trading was discontinued in 1860, presumably because of the war in China. Charles eventually returned to Switzerland and in 1862 the two brothers moved the business from Fleurier to Geneva.
Source: "La Montre Chinoise" by Alfred Chapuis, Geneve-Paris 1983, page 145f.

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