18 Carat gold pendant watch ‘Boule de Genève’ Circa 1860

Pendant watch with diamond setting
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A pendant watch ‘Boule de Genève’ in very rare quality with diamond setting, made circa 1860. The exceptionally heavy open faced case of this watch is crafted from 18 carat gold and is richly decorated with rose cut diamonds. The white enamel dial has an outer ring of gold minute dots, a red Arabic 12 o’clock numeral, black Arabic hour numerals from 1 to 11 o’clock and gold hands.
The numbered movement has a cylinder escapement, winding and time setting according to LeCoultre’s patent by turning the case halves in opposite directions.
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Diameter: 21,5 mm
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Weight: 28 g
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Signed: No name
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The extremely solid case quality of the item presented here is unusual. The watch is almost twice as heavy as a ‘Boule de Geneve’ in a normal case.
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LeCoultre’s winding and time setting patent
In 1847, Antoine LeCoultre invented a keyless winding and time setting system for watches, often referred to as the “remontoir à bascule” or lever winding system. This system, which used a single crown for both winding and time setting, eliminated the need for a separate key to wind the watch and adjust the time. The invention was not patented, but it was widely adopted and became the standard for mechanical watches.