Swiss silver memento mori skull-form watch Circa 1650

Silver memento mori watch by Jean Rousseau
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A Swiss silver memento mori skull-form watch, circa 1650. Gilt full plate verge movement, cut and pierced foliate engraved balance cock secured by a screw, flat steel balance, worm and wheel set-up, fusée and gut line. Silver dial, Roman chapter, foliate engraved centre. Skull-shaped case. Movement signed.
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Dimensions: 41 x 34 x 34 mm
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Diameter dial: 26 mm
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Signed: Jean Rousseau
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Jean Rousseau, 1606 – 1684, was an important and well-known watchmaker and Master of the Clockmakers’ Company of Geneva. He was particularly known for making form watches, such as this piece.
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The sumptuary orders introduced by Calvin in the late 16^th century expressly forbid the manufacture of crosses, chalices or other ‘idolatry’ instruments of worship. Some decades later, and perhaps even in reaction to this period saw a demand for form watches such as this one. Although the human skull in miniature as a symbol of death had a long history dating back to the medieval period.
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This skull is cast with detailed indentations and engravings to the hinged outer and, as was often the case with these types of watches, also has subtle religious motifs on the dial.