A watch by David Bouquet I offered by Mayflower Antiques.
An early watch dating to c.1640 is on offer from Mayflower Antiques of Stourbridge in the West Midlands.
It has an oval gilt-brass pre-spring verge movement and an oval dial set with octagonal gold mount decorated with enamel tulips and butterflies. The case is of faceted rock crystal in engraved and gilt-brass mounts.
Few watches of this age remain, and this piece, though delicate, is in fairly good condition with some losses to the enamel and case.
The dealership believes that it was made for a high-status lady. It would have been worn on a chain round the neck and have been wound twice a day to maintain accuracy to within about 10 minutes.
The maker is David Bouquet I, a Huguenot who became a freeman of the Blacksmiths’ Company in June 1628 and a free brother of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1632. It was in a private Dutch collection from 1978-2012 and has since been passed down by descent.
