Watchlords

who was given this back in the mid 1800s by his parish members. He was an Abbot at a local monastery for many years. My father had this old watch and recently during a visit my 86 year old mother, she gave me this watch. The great uncle died about 110 years ago near Colmar, France. Lousy photos since the macro is not working as it should be.

Pink gold, porcelain dial, gold hands. Still working order.C. Detouche Pocketwatch

Gorgeous, but I think the watch was made some 30-40 years later than 1841. Stem-winding (and setting) system was patented by Adrien Philippe of Patek Philippe in 1842, only became popular in the 1850s. The 1860s still were the heyday of the key-wound movement.

This one is a typical "bar" layout, with the roots of its design in the Lepine V, which was the first "departure" from the radial layout of the Swiss and French generic movements. This particular layout was very popular with Swiss generic movement suppliers since the late 1870s, notably LeCoultre and FHF. This one looks like an FHF, and a fairly high-grade one, given the fine perlage on the base plate, lever escapement (the cheap versions had a cylinder escapement), and a mobile hairspring stud carrier.

I don't know how old was the original owner of the watch when he died, but if something like 70-80, then receiving the watch at the age of 40 or 50 would make perfect sense. A friend's grandfather, a Lutheran reverend, received a 14k gold Tavannes (Cyma) in a hunter case from the people of his parish, when he was about 40-50 (would have to ask him, I can't remember how old exactly was he). Guess that' the age, when a priest would have been with the members of his parish long enough for the people to give him such a gift.

A very handsome watch, with an unusual dial.
Did your relative have anything to do with the sea, or work closely with fishermen? I say this because the engraving looks like "Our Lady Of Navigators", a popular South American devotion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Navigators

That is one neat watch. Jeebus, you guys' vintage knowledge is impressive. I swear I am just a typing monkey around this place.

Family provenance is irreplaceable. Nice that future generations in the clan will get this.

Cheers

biglove wrote:That is one neat watch. Jeebus, you vintage guy's knowledge is impressive. I swear I am just a typing monkey around this place.

Fixed it for you!

No words to describe.

What a neat watch and getting it passed down to you with the history of its original owner is so cool.

Just to elaborate on the point about the origins of that movement layout... Check the evolution of the Lepines here:
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f11/standard-french-swiss-lepine-key-wound-calibers-19th-century-4274666.html#post41207618.
Posted a link to that here on WL in a separate thread upon having the thread posted on WUS.


Radial layout Lepine IV, phot. WUSer SilkeN


Lepine V, photo: SilkeN


LeCoultre cal. 6 ebauche, image: Mikrolisk

@bobbee & biglove: Should Mr. Bloke feel flattered?

That's a fucking swell pocket watch and story!

Beautiful heirloom. Very, Very nice.

Things like this are what watch collecting should be about - it's not what a watch is "worth," it's what it's worth to you.

Great stuff.

Constantin-Louis Detouche he was the son of clockmaker Georges Detouche who founded Detouche Jewelers in Paris in 1803. http://www.lapendulerie.com/Detouche...rtistid=169426

an example of the watchmakers work -

https://collection.maas.museum/object/171578

LloydB said:


I'm certain you must know... the
engraving on your case represents
the Immaculate Conception.

Sorry I can't add much about the
movement -- It's a pin-set Swiss
movement, and appears to be of
decent quality. It was made for
use in a French-speaking area
(no surprise there). I'd expect
it dates to the 1870/s...
Detouche founded his business in 1803 as you stated.

How did I miss this post the first time around? That's a great watch. Love the details and boy the resident Brits knowledgable, aren't they?