Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

Swiss. A gold Art Deco open-faced keyless watch, circa 1929.
Movement: jewelled lever escapement.
Dial: silvered, raised geometric pattern, applied stylised gold Arabic numerals, subsidiary seconds.
Case: 18ct gold, Art Deco engraved geometric design to the back, laurel wreath bands to the bezels, London import mark for 1929.
Signed: unsigned.
Dimensions: diameter 48mm.
£750-£900

Art Deco was an era associated with luxury and modernity and first appeared in France just before the First World War. The bold visual style was influenced by the geometric forms of Cubism and the bright colours of Fauvism. Iconic examples of Art Deco design are the Chrysler Building, New York, built in 1930 and the statue of Christ the Redeemer by Paul Landowski in Rio de Janeiro.
With its elegant design and classic engraving to the case back this watch is a wonderful example from the height of the period.