Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Bigger watch ...

.
Why does someone need so many watches?

This is similar, but bigger. Nearly 2cm across. Same grey (silver?) metal. Same slightly clunky decoration, same bezel winder as Littler Watch



but the dial has, this time, a maker's name ... TERRASSE


Open the back, and there it is again: TERRASSE. 


International Exhibition Philadelphia 1876. 15 Jewels.  And those numbers again 147351.


And something else ...

a cartridge containing what looks like 0.800, and a tiny punched (assay?) mark ...

Well, I looked for Terrasse, and I found the Geneva watchmaker Mathey making very similar-looking watches, 

Mathey watch
and then I found this ..

Jacot, Gustave of Le Locle. This maker was born in 1864 and died in 1939. He was probably working prior to 1881 when he would have signed his watches in his own name. In 1881 he, with his brother, Bernard Jacot (1861-1898), set up La Terrasse, Maison, Le Locle. After Gustave died, Bernard took over running the company. In 1911, the company used the trademark Primax on their watches, parts 
and packaging. From about 1920 the company traded as Terrasse Watch Co. In 1939, after Bernards death, his wife Allice took over the company. She died in 1953. The company was still trading in 1986.

So ... if that is correct, this is a post-1920 watch. Could be. It somehow lacks the delicacy of its little brothers. But what about the Philadelphia Exhibition? 1876? Gustave was making watches aged twelve? And 'after Gustave died'? But he, so this says, survived Bernard by 40 years? But 'Jacot Frères' of Le Locle are there all right, at Philadelphia. Oh, I don't know ...

Antiques Road Show-watchers: Good, Better, Best?


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