French Louis XV gold pocket watch with stone inlays Circa 1875

Exquisite rare Neo Renaissance watch in original box
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An exquisite and rare Neo Renaissance Louis XV pocket watch with stone inlays and original sales box, made by Grognier Arnaud Laurent & C^ie Succ^rs in Lyon. France, circa 1875. The excellent quality open faced Louis XV water drop shaped gold case of this watch has a black stone inlay, probably onyx, on the back lid and the French gold punch. The excellently preserved Louis XV white enamel dial has red Arabic five minute numerals, black Roman hour numerals and gold hands. The numbered movement has a fine cylinder escapement and wolf’s toothing.
The watch comes with a matching original gold chatelaine, centrally a cameo of fine quality, framed by Oriental pearls, moveable suspension of the watch, set with rose cut diamonds and a brooch on the back.
The cuvette and box are signed.
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Diameter: 34 mm
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Weight: 33 g
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Signed: Grognier Arnaud, Laurent & C^ie Succ^rs, à Lyon (cuvette) and A. Trichaud, Marseille (box)
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Only the eyelet ring between the chatelaine and the watch has been replaced and the back clip of the chatelaine is no longer present, but the brooch. Otherwise, this extremely rare Neo Renaissance watch is in excellent original condition. These very elaborate jewellery watches were only made in France for a very short time from about 1870 – 1890 and are extremely rare and sought after collector’s items.
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Grognier & Arnaud
The company Grognier – Arnoud was based in Lyon around 1800. Founders were the engraver and sculptor Louis – Furcy Grognier l’Artiste and his wife Jeanne-Amélie-Fortunée Arnoud, a trained goldsmith. After the death of Louis-Furcy Grognier, the watches were signed “V.ve” for widow) Grognier-Arnoud. Grognier – Arnoud’s successor in the company was Henri Rambaud, who renamed it “Grognier – Arnoud, H. Rambaud successeur”. Théophile Laurent took over around 1900 and traded as “Grognier & Arnaud, Laurent & C^ie Suc^rs”.