Rare Swiss gold, enamel and diamond set watch Circa 1848

Gold ladies’ pendant watch
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A very fine and extremely rare Swiss 18 carat gold, enamel and diamond set open faced ladies’ pendant watch made by Patek & Co in Geneva, circa 1848. Featuring Adrien Philippe’s first patented stem-wind and hand-setting mechanism of 1845 without coasting. Sold on November 7th, 1854. The frosted gilt bar caliber movement with eight jewels, wolf’s tooth winding, a cylinder escapement, plain three arm balance, blued steel flat balance spring and an index regulator.
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White enamel dial with Roman hour numerals, an outer minute track and blued steel moon hands. The case with a foliage engraved bezel, band, pendant and bow, a rose cut diamond set flower spray on a translucent red guilloché enamel ground on the back and a flat topped winding crown. A hinged gold cuvette with a finely enamelled and engraved gold icon, the Black Madonna of Ostrabrama, flanked by engraved angels and foliage. Movement signed, cuvette and case numbered. Accompanied by an Extract from the Archives.

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Diameter: 34.5 mm
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Signed: Patek & Co à Genève
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This watch is an extremely early example of Adrien Philippe’s first patent stem-wind and hand-setting mechanism of 1845. The extract from the archives confirms the red guilloché enamel and diamond decoration of the case. Furthermore, the beautifully decorated cuvette is also mentioned as a “painted portrait of the Black Madonna of Ostrabrama”.
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The movement is signed Patek & Co, a signature used only for six years between 1845 and 1851 when the company became Patek, Philippe & Co.
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The mechanism was registered under French patent No. 1317 of April 22nd, 1845. The winding pinion is fixed to the winding shaft. For winding, the crown must be turned clockwise and cannot be turned back with that typical ratchet noise. To disengage the winding in order to set the hands, the winding crown can be pulled out. Very few watches survived with this early winding mechanism without coasting.
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The shrine of Ostrabrama is in the town of Vilnius in Lithuania and houses the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary which has been copied in enamel on the cuvette of this watch.