French gold, bloodstone watch with chatelaine Circa 1860

Gold cylinder watch with chatelaine
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A very fine and rare French, 18K gold and bloodstone jasper lady’s pendant watch, circa 1860. Bloodstone and 18K gold suite jasper chatelaine and the original morocco fitted case, the watch, chatelaine and case with a Viscountess’s coronet. A polished bezel, coin-edge band, the spring-loaded back cover set with a bloodstone panel with an applied gold coronet, chatelaine en suite set with bloodstone panels and beads, the upper panel set with a gold monogram GC and surmounted by a Viscountess’s coronet, with a key and seal. Hinged gold cuvette. White enamel dial, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions. Gold Breguet hands. A frosted gilt movement, bar calibre, cylinder escapement, three-arm balance, flat balance spring, index regulator. Cuvette signed.
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Diameter: 28 mm
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Signed: Mellerio dit Meller  Paris
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Mellerio, dit Meller, is the world’s oldest jewellery company. In the 16th century, the Melerios became jewellers to Maria de Medici. In 1613, the Queen was given exceptional privilege for thwarting an attempt to assassinate the young King Louis XIII. These privileges were renewed by successive Kings & Queens of France until the revolution of 1789. Thanks to their illustrious past, Mellerio became the most famous French jeweller in the 19th century, supplying Empresses Josephine and Eugenie as well as all European royal courts.