Swiss 18 carat gold and enamel mandolin form watch Circa 1810

Gold enamelled verge pendant watch
–
A pendant form watch in the shape of a mandolin, attributed to Frères Les Raffard in Genève, Switzerland, circa 1810. The numbered case of this watch, crafted from 18 carat gold, features extremely elaborate, multicoloured enamelling, a band depicting sheet music and a back set with oriental pearls. The white enamel dial has Arabic hours, outer minute divisions, Arabic 15 minute numerals and gold hands. The movement is fitted with a verge escapement.
–
Length: 65 mm
–
Signed: No name
–
Many, mostly simpler, versions of these mandolin form watches are known. The finest and most valuable examples are attributed to the Geneva manufacturer Frères Les Raffard. They typically feature a musical score on the back. In the example shown here, however, the decoration extends across the entire side of the instrument, reading “Paul et Virgin” and presents the musical notation in remarkable detail. No other example of this design is known, making it exceptionally rare.
–
Frères les Raffard
Frères Les Raffard were a relatively minor or specialist name in the extensive history of Geneva watchmaking and detailed historical information is not readily available. They were likely a small, possibly family-run, workshop active in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, a period when Geneva was a major hub for high quality horology.