Pair of Chinese Market Pocket Watches (The Western Lady)
Inventory number: PW1809018A&B
Circa 1860, made by Edouard Juvet in Switzerland, 55mm, gilt silver open-face case with painted enamel and pearl-set bezel. A pair of matching mirror-image pocket watches, the enamel depicts a portrait of a beautiful western lady. Made for the Chinese market with decorative engraved movements appealing to Chinese tastes. Now, these types of movements were well known as “Chinses Calibre”. Juvet was one of the most popular brands made watches for the Qing Dynasty imperial court and nobility.
Brand History
JUVET is one of the important Swiss horological families working for the Chinese market. Edouard Juvet (1820-1883) was one of the most eminent watchmakers specialized in watches for the Chinese Market. He established his workshop in Buttes in 1842, but in 1844 moved to Fleurier and began making "Chinese" watches in 1856.
Edouard's sons Ami-Louis and Léo traveled to China to work in the family firm. In Shanghai, the Juvets were rivaled only by the Bovets, yet the two families maintained friendly relations. The firm opened branches in Tien-Tsin and Saigon and prospered to such an extent that Léo wrote "Our watches sell like salt".
In 1873, Edouard Juvet registered a trademark in Chinese characters that were used on the company's products. After his death in 1883, Léo took over the management of the company.
"Simple" watches in plain silver cases but still fitted with the lavishly decorated movement and center seconds, typical features of the "Chinese Market" watches, were offered at affordable prices to the Chinese general public.
Enamel
A vitreous substance whose main component is silica（also may have borax, lead, and potash）mixed with oxides (transition metals) that create a vast palette of colors. Enamel can be used to decorate metal surfaces, gold, silver, and copper.
Painting on the Enamel
A gold or copper plate is coated with base enamel then fired. The colors are in powder form which the enamel-painter dilutes as and when they are needed using an oily or semi-oily essence, before applying them with a fine brush. Each color is dried then fired before the next is applied. A work can be fired numerous times.
The Chinese market pocket watch is the pocket watch that specially made for the Chinese market in the 18th to 19th centuries by European watchmakers. It was originally used as a tribute to the Qing Dynasty royal family and spread among the public gradually. Many cases were generally made of silver, brass, gilt brass or silver, and decorated with painted enamel with pearls or precious jewels.
The movements are so-called “Chinese Caliber”, and many of them were engraved with beautiful patterns such as scrolled flowers and foliage, the designs were significantly recognizable. From the Chinese collectors ‘view, these kinds of pocket watches are called "The big-eight pieces”. (There is such a statement that the movement was usually designed to consist of a barrel and seven main components, eight pieces in total, and “eight" is considered as the homonym of "fortune" in Chinese, so they were gradually known as "The big-eight pieces" from the 19th century in Chinese.
