Fres Esquivillon & DeChoudens,Argento, - Earlier than 1850

Delighted to present to you an extremely rare watch, from one of the finest blazons in the 18th-century high watchmaking: Fres Esquivillon & DeChoudens. We are in 1787, verge escapement with a Coq that I personally had never seen before. This is a watch of high intrinsic value to the brand and to the wonderful painting on the dial. Over 230 years of history, and furthermore perfectly functioning, with a smooth and durable wound spring, to give it perhaps even more prestige. Silver case, hallmarked but the hallmark is partially worn, yet still tested. Over 2 cm in thickness, slightly curved glass, and I took the liberty of writing "good condition" with visible signs of wear, relating it to the era from which it comes. Indeed, apart from a slight dent on the outer case and a few stains (removable if desired, but I recommend not removing them to preserve the patina acquired with time), and the two very tiny chips located at the ends of the dial, it is still very well preserved. The painting is entirely present and there are no threadlines, and if desired the two small chips can be restored with little cost. An absolutely exclusive watch of enormous value. As mentioned above, the watch is very well functioning, but since I have not tested long-term reliability, I recommend preventive cleaning and lubrication to optimize performance. 46 mm plus in diameter from left to right, over 2 cm thick and 84.5 grams in weight. The ribbon that holds the original key is worn, and the original key of the period, which will be supplied to the auction winner, is broken, hence a single-icon lot with a newer key to allow the watch to function, but if you wish you can later augment it with an antique key (available on the Web for a few euros). Unmissable.

Estimate:£921.34

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