Swiss navette shaped ring watch with visible balance Circa 1820

Extraordinary gold ring watch by Du Pont
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An extraordinary, navette shaped paste stone-set Swiss ring watch with visible diamond-set balance, circa 1820.
An 18-carat rose gold case with paste stone-set on the bezel. Signed eccentric enamel dial with Arabic hours, upper part with a polished disc with three curved diamond-set arms illustrating a visible balance against an opaque enamelled ground and with spade hands. Moulded movement, frosted and gilt, with cylinder escapement.
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Dimensions: 33 x 18 x 9 mm
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Weight: 17 g
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Signed: Du Pont, Genève
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Ring watches
Even as early as in the 16th-century watchmakers were fascinated by the idea of fitting a watch into a ring, however, only a few of them managed such a feat. This did not change during the 19th century; any successful attempt to create a watch of this kind brought immediate fame to its maker, especially if the watch found a prominent buyer. It was probably James Widman’s ring watch that was worn by the Duke of Mantua and Antoine Rojard’s fame based itself on Napoleon Bonaparte’s watch even the young John Arnold was able to present an exquisite ring watch to King George III of England; this immediately made him a celebrated watchmaker. This ring watch was created by watchmaker Du Pont in Geneva; its case is lavishly decorated with paste stones and the key is likely to be original.