Swiss platinum Art Deco lever dress pocket watch Circa 1920

Rare square watch from the Art Deco period
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A square pocket dress watch from the Art Deco period, made for Van Cleef & Arpels, jewellery merchants in Paris, France, by Vacheron & Constantin in Genève, Switzerland, circa 1920. The numbered full hunter case of this watch was crafted from platinum, features the French platinum punch, has a monogram “LB” on the inside of the spring lid and was probably crafted by the Verger Frères. The silvered dial features an outer minutes track, baton hours and steel hands. The numbered movement is fitted with a fine lever escapement, five adjustments and 15 jewels.
The movement is signed.
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Dimensions: 40 x 40mm
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Weight: 60 g
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Signed: Vacheron & Constantin, Swiss Genève
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Only one more of these extremely rare Art Deco dress watches from Van Cleef & Arpels was auctioned for more than CHF 50,000 in 1991.
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Van Cleef & Arpels
The history of Van Cleef & Arpels is rooted in a late 19^th century love story between two families of jewellery merchants. In 1895, Estelle Arpels (daughter of a precious stone dealer) married Alfred Van Cleef (son of a diamond cutter). In 1896, Alfred partnered with his father-in-law, Salomon Arpels, to start a small business. In 1906, Alfred and his brother-in-law, Charles Arpels, officially founded the Maison and opened their first boutique at 22 Place Vendôme in Paris, across from the Hôtel Ritz. Estelle’s other brothers, Julien and Louis Arpels, joined the firm in 1908 and 1912, respectively.

Van Cleef & Arpels still exists and is a highly prominent, active luxury jewellery brand with a global presence today.