Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Precious Time: A Watch and Chatelaine 1580-1750


Watch and Chatelaine
Chatelaine, German--1580
Watch, English--1750
The Victoria and Albert Museum
Chatelaines were employed for centuries to hold useful items such as watches, keys and small utensils. We’ve looked at other chatelaines before, but this one is particularly handsome.

The chatelaine we see here was made around 1580 in Germany and features a pendant jewel in gold enamel and mother-of-pearl which shows the Centaur Nessus carrying Deianiera.

A gold watch with gilt metal adornment, moss agate and diamonds hangs from the chatelaine. The watch dates to about 1750 and the movement is signed “John Pyke, London, no. 959” and bears case-maker's mark “WI.”





2 comments:

Shawn said...

Oh my goodness!! I love this - such artistry and such beauty! I wonder, would this look a bit out of place clipped to my khaki pants for a day in the office??

Joseph Crisalli said...

Nah. Men wore chatelaines. I'm of the school of thought that says, "if you've got something and you like it, wear it" even if it's not conventional for the current time. Of course, there are always lines of taste and weirdness which should not be crossed, but within reason, anything is possible. Now, the trick is finding a similar chatelaine to wear.