Swiss gold plated Stylist open faced pocket watch Circa 1950

Gold plated open faced lever watch
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A Swiss gold plated open faced pocket watch, the Stylist model made by Tissot, circa 1950. This watch features a hand wound mechanical movement with lever escapement. The movement is decorated with an engraved drawing of a man’s head after a design by Jean Cocteau for Jean Marais, signed in the decoration, dating from 1950. The silvered dial displays an outer minute track, baton hour markers, and Alpha hands. The round gold plated case features a plain bezel.
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Diameter: 42 mm
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Signed: Tissot
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The famous Swiss watch brand Tissot was founded in 1853 by father Charles-Félicien Tissot and his son Charles-Émile Tissot. They started their company in the small town of Le Locle, in the Jura Mountains, which remains the heart of the Swiss watch industry.
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This Tissot Stylist pocket watch is a rare collector’s piece that blends mid century horology with avant garde French art. The standout feature is the case back engraving: a man’s face designed by legendary artist Jean Cocteau for his longtime partner and collaborator, actor Jean Marais, in 1950.
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The partnership between Cocteau and Marais is iconic in French cultural history, particularly for their work on the 1946 film Beauty and the Beast. This watch represents a personal link between the two, as Cocteau frequently created bespoke sketches and jewellery for Marais