For Ladies, Watches Were Accessories to Embellish Themselves

The way a watch was worn was closely tied to the fashion of the time, and for women in the mid-19th century, the pendant watch was both an accessory and an indispensable fashion item. It was often worn as jewelry on the chest. For example, Queen Victoria's pendant watch (published December 26, 2013) was used in a similar manner.

However, the model introduced here, despite being crafted around 1869 during the heyday of pendant watches, is characterized by its chatelaine style, which differs from typical pendant watches.

A chatelaine is a series of decorative medals, from which a watch, perfume holder, keys, or seals would be suspended and worn at the waist. This method of wearing a watch was popular in the 1700s and was overwhelmingly favored by both men and women. The reason for producing a model from over 100 years ago was that classic styles were preferred at the time.





This chatelaine, by minimizing ornamentation, serves as a frame that highlights the beauty of the miniature enamel painting. Nevertheless, it is elaborately crafted with engraving on a green gold base and decorated with black enamel, a technique also used for the ornamentation surrounding the miniature painting on the case.

The four plates of the chatelaine, each about 1 to 3 cm, depict a shepherdess with sheep and a sheepdog, evoking a pastoral atmosphere. The pocket watch itself measures a mere 3.35 cm in diameter. It is astonishing to see such a rich world created within this small size, and one can only admire the skill of the watchmakers of the era who could produce such tiny, wearable timepieces. This is a masterpiece that showcases the craftsmanship of the finest artisans of the past.

Watch: Rose gold, manual winding and time-setting mechanism
Height 47.7mm, Diameter 33.5mm, Thickness 10.7mm
Chatelaine: The reverse of each plate is protected by mother-of-pearl
Length 92mm, Width 32.6mm, Thickness 11.7mm