French lady’s pendant watch with matching gold chatelaine Circa 1810

Gold pendant watch by Grognier-Arnaud
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A very fine French ensemble comprising a lady’s pendant watch with a splendid matching gold chatelaine decorated with lapis lazuli elements and pearls, circa 1810. Accompanied by a presentation box. The fine 18 carat gold pocket watch has a back made of lapis lazuli featuring a small five pointed star of pearls in the center. The gold rims on both the front and back as well as the pendant and bow are adorned with exquisite engravings. The gold chatelaine, which consists of three parts, is incredibly intricate and has a key and signet with lapis lazuli decoration attached. The chains, which have a textile-like appearance, are flexible and interwoven, decorated with pearls. The top section of the chatelaine is a large lapis lazuli plate shaped like a coat of arms, featuring a finely executed gold monogram studded with pearls, with a length of 150 mm. The enamel dial has radial Roman numerals, an outer minutes track and gold Breguet hands. The movement is a Lépine caliber with key winding, cylinder escapement and a three arm brass balance.
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Diameter: 34 mm
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Weight: 26 g
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Signed: V.ve Grognier-Arnaud a Lyon
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Lapis lazuli is an opaque rock with an intense azure-blue colour. It is mainly mined in Afghanistan.
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Grognier-Arnoud, French jeweller and watch retailer
The Grognier-Arnoud company was active in Lyon around 1800. The company was founded by the engraver and sculptor Louis-Furcy Grognier and his wife Jeanne-Amélie-Fortunée Arnoud who was trained as a goldsmith. After the death of Grognier, the watches were signed V.ve Grognier-Arnoud (Veuve = widow). The company was based at Quai Villeroy 7 and moved to Quai Saint Antoine 11. Grognier-Arnoud had a very good reputation. Along with Paris, Lyon is still known as the city of goldsmiths. In Saint-Amand-Montrond, where today the museum “La Maison de l’Or” is located, was an important jewel production too. Successor in the Grognier-Arnoud company was Henri Rambaud. Around 1900, led by Théophile Laurent under the name Grognier & Arnaud, Laurent & Cie Srs.