Italian silver single hand Oignon watch with alarm Circa 1690

Silver pair cased Oignon watch with alarm
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A very fine and extremely rare Italian silver pair-cased singlehand pocket watch with alarm, circa 1690. An Italian Oignon Alarm pocket watch by Giovanni Batista Callin Genoua. The back and bezel pierced with ringed sound holes, square hinge. Innercase with deep back, the band pierced and engraved with inhabited foliage and grotesque masks, polished split bezel, loose ring pendant.

Silver dial, chapter ring with bold champlevé radial Roman numerals, inner half and quarter hour ring, central silver alarm disc with Arabic numerals and steel arrowhead pointer indicating the hours, blued steel alarm setting hand. Hinged, gilt full plate movement with divided Egyptian pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement with steel balance and short balance spring, continental type cock pierced and engraved with scrolling inhabited foliage, Tompion type regulator with graduated silver disc, alarm with foliate chased fixed barrel and steel train, striking on a bell with a double-ended hammer. Movement signed.
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Diameter: 59 mm
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Signed: Giovanni Batista Callin Genoua
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Callin was one of the most famous watchmakers at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. The family moved from Germany and were established in Liguria in the late 17th century. They were most famous for clocks and night clocks. It is partcularly unusual to find a watch by this maker.