This is a conversion watch built around an original vintage enamel dial by Pierre Rigaud found at Geneva flea market. The dial is from the 1790s – early 1800s, it was a gold pocket watch scrapped for metal, only dial survived. A typical Geneva Lake scene wit a boatman and girl near a lakeshore barn.
We built a new case for it and fitted a pair of contemporary solid gold hands from the late XVIII century. Hands were also bought from a famous Geneva watchmaker Bruno Pesenti.
Making conversion watches is a great way to revive previously abandoned pocket watch movements and allow them to be worn on the wrist for more modern use. Case and movement are new, the watch was built in our workshop.
About Pierre (“Jean-Pierre”) Rigaud and his enamel watches
Jean-Pierre Rigaud (Geneva, July 1750 – January 1820) was a Swiss watchmaker from a family already established in horology: he was the son of Lazare Rigaud, and became prominent through his own work and appointments, including being made maker to the Russian court. uhren-muser.de Rigaud was known for creating fine pocket watches, especially in yellow gold, with complications such as minute repeaters and finely finished movements. Sothebys.com+1 One feature of his pieces that collectors particularly appreciate is the use of enamel dials or enamel panels: for example, one of his watches from around 1820 has a white enamel dial with Arabic numerals and a minute track, framed in yellow gold. Sothebys.com Another lot described shows a pair-case pocket watch by Rigaud in yellow metal, the outer case having an enamel panel depicting a lady, which demonstrates that his enamel work was not just for utility (timekeeping) but also decorative and artistic. fellows.co.uk
The Rigaud family, apparently full of talented painters, astronomers, clockmakers and watchmakers, originated in France before moving to Geneva, and are first mentioned in approximately 1720. Pierre Rigaud is an elusive figure, somewhat lost in the mists of time and history. But we do know that he was a popular watch manufacturer of his time, mentioned in Geneva from about 1750 – 1800 as a creator of watches of all kinds. He manufactured pocket watches in particular, some of which are still around today, and it is noted that he used classic movements with verge escapement.
Rigaud seemed to be more of an artist than a watchmaker: most of his surviving watches have beautiful and intricate little scenes painted either on the watch face itself or on the back of the pocket watch, such as a couple rowing a boat, and a farmhouse by a lake.
Two other possible relatives, a father and son bearing the name of Rigaud, are also mentioned in Geneva during Pierre Rigaud’s time there, and are noted to have been master watchmakers. It seems that many in the Rigaud family dynasty were very skilled in the art of horology.
The watch comes with a classical high quality 22 mm genuine leather strap. The movement runs like new, serviced with a 12-month warranty.
