Boule de Genève: Difference between revisions

[[File:Boule de Genève, ca. 1890.jpeg|thumb|rightupright=1.35|A ''bouleBoule de Genève'' in the [[Etruscan jewelry|Etruscan]] revival style with [[Granulation (jewellery)|granulation]] and wirework decoration, unsigned, Switzerland, ca. {{circa|1890}}, 21.5k yellow gold,. Lecoultre winding system. It is unusual to find a ball-charm matching the ball watch. [[Watch Museum of Le Locle]] (Switzerland).]]

A '''Boule de Genève''' (Geneva ball) is a type of [[pendant]] [[watch]] in the shape of a small ball or sphere originating from [[Geneva]], ([[Switzerland]]). The [[Dial (measurement)|dial]] is usually at the bottom of the sphere facing the floor, at the opposite side of the jump ring on the upper part of the sphere., Althoughalthough there are some examples with a front view dialface. Usually, they were [[arabic numeral]] dials, sometimes [[Roman numerals|Roman]], and from the 1950s different types of hour markers were also used. This ''objet de vertu'' frequently came with a matching [[brooch]], [[chain]] or [[Chatelaine (chain)|chatelaine]].

The term ''bouleBoule de Genève'' is generic, itand does doesn’tnot mean that a given watch was necessarily made in thatthe city or [[Canton of townGeneva]]. Likewise, it shouldn’tshould not be confused with another Swiss pendant watch also in spherical form, with a front view dial and magnifying dome-shaped glass at the front and back of the timepiece, the so-called bubble watch.

[[File:Horloge, zgn. ‘Boule de Genève’, met Engelse ankergang en bijpassende chatelaine, objectnr KA 3656.jpg|thumb|right|A front view dial example hanging from a matching gold chatelaine, ball decorated with stars enclosing diamonds. Unsigned, Switzerland, Lecoultre winding system. [[Amsterdam Museum]]]]

[[File:Remontoir horloge, zgn. ‘boule de Genève’ met bijpassende chatelaine, objectnr KA 3639.jpg|thumb|right|Gold sphere covered in pearls with matching chatelaine, dial facing the floor. Unsigned, Switzerland, Lecoultre winding system. Amsterdam Museum]]

The first ''boules de Genève'' date from the 1860s, marketed by firms such as [[Patek Philippe]] from 1866.<ref>[https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2009/important-watches-n08543/lot.124.html Important Watches catalogue, Sotheby's New York, 28/04/2009]</ref> They featured the winding mechanism invented by Marius Lecoultre (1847–1915)<ref>[https://hans-weil.faszination-uhrwerk.de/albert_h_potter.pdf Eugène Lecoultre und Marius Lecoultre, Hans Weil, 2020]</ref> of Geneva and patented in Switzerland in 1889<ref>[https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/search?q=pn%3DCH114A Swiss patent 114, "Mécanisme de remontoir de montre à commande horizontale", published 12/01/1889]</ref> (the Swiss patent office was not created until 1888).<ref>[https://www.ige.ch/en/about-us/the-history-of-the-ipi The history of the IPI]</ref> Winding by rotating the hemisphere containing the dial and time setting by pressing the protruding, cylindrical-shaped button at theone side of the orb while turning the said hemisphere clockwise or counter clockwise. These watches have no key and crown. Lecoultre's winding system was also used in some ring watches<ref>[https://www.antique-watch.com/product/diamond-set-gold-ring-watch/ Late 19th century ring watch, winding and setting by rotating the bezel]</ref> and wristwatches of the time, like for example in an 1889 [[Vacheron Constantin]] wristwatch, which is operated by rotating the bezel.<ref>[https://www.watchprosite.com/vacheron-constantin/review-vacheron-watch-review-egerie/14.566566.3504216/ Watchprosite]</ref>

In the [[Exposition Universelle (1878)|1878 Paris Exposition Universelle]], Patek Philippe devoted a showcase to these ball-form timepieces. AsAnd ayears result,later thesold companypieces received orders fromto royalty, andsuch sold pieces toas [[Hussein Kamel of Egypt|Sultan Hussein Kamel of Egypt]] in 1887<ref>"On November 2, 1887, a ball watch and three pieces of jewellery ("bijoux") were sold to ''Prince Hussein Kamil''". Timepieces for Royalty 1859-1910, Patek Philippe Museum, 2005, p. 169</ref> and [[Teresa Cristina of the Two Sicilies|Empress Teresa of Brazil]] in 1888.<ref>[https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2009/important-watches-n08543/lot.124.html"On ImportantJune Watches29, Sotheby1888, a ball watch and a piece of jewellery ("bijou") were sold to ''sHer NewMajesty Yorkthe Empress of Brazil''". Timepieces for Royalty 1859-1910, 28/04/2009]Patek Philippe Museum, 2005, p. 170</ref>

At the 1893 [[Chicago]] [[World's Columbian Exposition]], several exhibitors displayed these type of watches among their horological products, called "globes" in the "Report of the ComitteeCommittee on Awards of the World's Columbian Commission":<ref>[https://books.google.escom/books?id=xPQ_AAAAYAAJ&dq=%22marius%20lecoultre%22&hl=es&pg=PA902#v=onepage&q&f=true Report of the ComitteeCommittee on Awards of the World's Columbian Commission. Vol. 2 (1901), pp. 903-905]</ref>

The small watch continued to be manufactured in the following decades, withenjoying a revival in popularity in the 1960s, judging by the number of brand names that existed and pieces available. They are distinguishable by their dials having stickstamped, markersprinted and/or numeralapplied anddifferent types of indices;<ref>[https://whichwatchnext.com/watch-indices/ 10 Different Types of Watch Indices (Hour Markers)]</ref> baton, stick, round, arrow, markersetc.

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eut74y6oGdU Video showing winding and setting of a green guilloché enamel ballexample, Lecoultre's winding system]

*[https://www.pbs.org/video/antiques-roadshow-appraisal-enamel-pendant-ball-watch-ca-1895/ Video showing the appraisal of a ballpiece from ca. 1895. Antiques Roadshow US, aired 13/01/14]