317. Swiss
A very fine and rare pink gold and enamel openface
automata watch with exposed balance
瑞士，非常精細及罕有，紅金及琺瑯懷錶，配五段式活動人偶，
約1820年製
Manufacturer
Year
Material
Dimensions
Signed
Swiss
Circa 1820
Pink gold and enamel
54.5 mm. diameter
Dial signed
Estimate
HKD 320,000-600,000
USD 40,000-75,000
Watches with automata first started
to appear in the second half of the
eighteenth century. This fashion
arouse as the watch was once again
regarded as a piece of jewelry,
and the tiny automata would be
situated on either the dial side
and or the case back of the watch.
These watches were extremely
delicate and usually very amusing.
One can find different quality
automata from this period. The
easiest, most common examples
were two little figures that went
through the motions of striking
the hours on a bell, which were
known as jaquemarts. The more
complex automata, which required
a far great W"FV6