Savoye Frères & Cie - 285942 - 1850-1900

Savoye Frères & Cie Silver Pocket Watch – Circa 1890/1900

Historical-Critical Description
An alluring late 19th-century pocket watch, open-face (Lépine) model, a superb testimony to the historic Savoye Frères & Cie manufacture. Founded in Paris in 1881 with excellent production facilities in the Swiss Jura, the house was renowned for the absolute reliability of its calibers. This exemplar fully embodies its mastery, merging the precision of Swiss movement with the stylistic elegance destined for the international market of the era.

Technical Sheet and Details
Producer: Movement: Savoye Frères & Cie (signed on the inner plate).
Epoch: Late 19th / Early 20th Century (circa 1890-1900).
Case: In high-quality silver (stamped "Argent Fin"). The back cover features a refined and richly engraved mechanical decoration with floral and naturalistic motifs well preserved.
Internal Finish: Double case (cuvettes) hinged. The inside of the case presents a splendid and warm galvanic gilding original to the period (bicolor vermeil finish), with sharp guarantee marks and the case maker’s mark with monogram "SNF" within a circular cartouche.
Case Serial Number: 265942.
Dial: Ivory white ceramic enamel in excellent condition (free of crazing, cracks, or restorations). Large black Roman numerals for hours, outer minute track "chemin de fer" with five-minute indicators in red Arabic numerals. Small seconds dial at the six o’clock position.
Hands: Louis XV style, finely worked, pierced and gilded

Condition and Function
Movement: Swiss movement with separate bridges and gilt finish.
State: Functioning (running). The mechanism responds promptly to winding.
Aesthetic Conditions: Excellent for the piece’s age. The dial is pristine and the case shows only a very light and charming patina of time, with no dents or deep scratches.

A piece of rare completeness: the Savoye Frères signature on the plate, the perfect match of the case hallmarks, the absolute integrity of the enamel dial and the working condition make it a lot of definite interest for collectors of antique and vintage watches.