The Roses” (Jaquet-Droz

“The Roses” (Jaquet-Droz), Genève, made for the Chinese market, circa 1780. Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set, center-seconds pocket watch. Three-body, “Directoire”, split pearl-set bezels with whiteand blue diaper pattern enamel decoration highlighted with goldpaillons, the pendant and bow with champlevé enameled decoration, the enamel back panel of blue translucentenamel over engine-turning, centered with a finely painted bunch of flowers on a pink ground, the borders withpaillonné decoration. White enamel, with radial Roman numerals and outer minute and seconds ring. Goldpierced hands. Hinged gilt brass full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, plain brass three-armbalance, fIat balance spring with regulator, English gilt brass cock partly sunk in the gilt brass panel and chasedwith foliage covering the back plate, diamond endstone.Diam. 57 mm. Notes It is very rare to find a watch from this period and of this quality, in such exceptional condition. Although it is not signed, the watch presents most of the features of those made at the time in the Jaquet-Droz work-shop for the Chinese market, the foot of the cock is sunk in the gilt brass plate, engraved with foliage, applied on the back plate. By this time, the watches which were not sold in China by merchants such as James Cox were retailed by other dealers who did not wish the pieces to be signed with any other name than their own. For an article on the unsigned pieces of Jaquet Droz,