This gold ring is composed of a hoop with square section and hinged shoulders shaped like stylized palmettes with translucent green enamel. These support the round bezel with a watch, a plain gold underside, and green guilloché enameled sides. The watch face is finely engraved in silver with a floral pattern and the name "BRÉDILLARD FRANCE." The diamond-studded frame of the watch is surrounded by a translucent green enameled guilloché rim. Inside, the watch is signed "A. BRÉDILLARD PARIS," with registration number 11392 and the French warranty mark with eagle facing to the right. The watch movement repeats the name "BRéDILLARD FRANCE" and also displays the following technical details: "10 TEN JEWELS" and "2 TWO ADJUSTMENTS." This charming ring was probably worn by a lady of society with her diamond-studded, garland-style jewelry. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw the development of watch rings into objets d'art, as much as practical devices for timekeeping. Diamond or seed pearl surrounds enhanced watch faces in nineteenth-century designs, and even after wristwatches had become more prevalent in the late nineteenth century, ladies of society took pleasure in dainty, bejeweled watch rings, perhaps as novelties.

Provenance:

Raphael Esmerian, Paris and New York (1903-1976).

Literature:

Scarisbrick 2007 [2014], p. 340, figs. 477-8.

R-501