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René Lalique "Marguerite" Pendant Watch
Created circa 1901-1902, this Art Nouveau "Marguerite" pendant watch by René Lalique is composed of 18K gold and enamel. The case is designed with white opaque champlevé enamel marguerites (oxeye daisies) with chased centers in various stages of blossoming, blooming and withering on swirling gold vines against a transparent blue green enamel ground, the reverse with chased leafy vines and confirming enamel ground, opening to a white porcelain enamel dial with Arabic numerals signed by E. Thomas, containing a jeweled movement, interior cover inscribed "Marcelle 15 Mai 1902." This beautifully enameled watch is one a group produced by Lalique in 1901, and was likely displayed among the jewels in his case at L'Esplanade des Invalides, where they were seen and celebrated by "Art et Décoration" as embodying "the splendor of the useful".
- Product Details
- Curator's Notes
Item #: W-21380
Artist: René Lalique
Country: France
Circa: 1901-1902
Dimensions: 1.75" length, 1.25" width.
Materials: 18K Gold; Enamel
Signed: Case signed LALIQUE, dial signed E. Thomas, inscribed May 1902
Literature: A group of chased gold and enamel watches from 1901 is documented in Sigrid Barten's catalogue raisonné of the jewelry of Lalique, p. 49. Lalique's exhibition of watches at l'Esplanade des Invalides is described at length in Art et Décoration, 1901, vol. 1, pp.37-40.
Raymond Bouyer, the reviewer at Art et Décoration, singled out the watches for additional praise among Lalique's case of "blond and blue...art objects", that included "magical" combs and brooches. The watches, Bouyer explained, were "graceful inventions" through which the artist had created an "Art Nouveau of the watch". Two additional examples from the small group of botanically-inspired watches are decorated with fuchsia and pine cones.