I've never seen anything like this! A Totally unique piece of novelty jewelry - a mid 19th Century French Enamelled bracelet which opens to reveal a watch... that can be removed and worn as a pendant.
The Bracelet Face/lid is designed as an octagon, or square with cut off corners, decorated with a border of seed pearls and an enamelled scene depicting two ladies with a bird (parrot) standing infront of a castle.
The shoulders of the bracelet are enamelled and set with rubies, emeralds and pearls.
There is a hinge halfway along the strap either side, followed by foliate enagraving, and more engraving around the centre back clasp.
The lid opens with a hinge and a clasp and reveals a watch, set into a beautifully engraved panel. The surround of the watch hinges open too and then the watch can be lifted out from it's housing.
The watch itself has an elegant roman numeral face, the back royal blue enamel with pink roses. It can be worn separately as a pendant
Inside the watch case it is engraved 'Bolviller A Paris' and the word 'Aiguilles' and an engraved arrow, which means needles (for the hole to turn the watch hands) and the arrow to show which way to turn the watch key. The inner case is marked '4818'
Bolviller (1800-1874) was a watch maker, renouned for carriage clocks, his early examples dating to the 1830s.
watch diameter 29mm - weight 14.3g
entire bracelet weight - 73g
inner bracelet measurement 7 5/8"
face measurement - 40mm x 40mm
condition - immaculate (I haven't attempted winding the watch as I need to get hold of a key)
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