ADAM'S Fine Jewellery & Ladies Watches 2nd December 2025

85 80 A RARE LATE 19 TH CENTURY DIAMOND AND ENAMEL LOCKET PENDANT LAPEL WATCH,CIRCA 1890 Probably Swiss Modelled as a stylised beetle, of manual wind movement with key, cir- cular white enamel dial with Roman numerals, blued steel hands, con- cealed beneath hinged red guilloché enamel wings with black stripes highlighted with rose-cut diamond accents and similarly-cut diamond eyes, textured gold with further black enamel on the bezel with foliate engraving, the thorax opening to reveal a glazed compartment, the re - verse naturalistically chased and engraved with insect’s abdomen and legs suspended from a bar brooch of similar style, mounted in gold, movement unsigned, length including bar brooch: 5.4cm € 2,500 - 3,500 The present beetle-form pendant watch captures the late 19th-centu- ry and early 20th-century fascination with the marriage of natural form and mechanical fantasy, and were highly fashionable in China. Emerg - ing from the ateliers of Geneva and Paris, it embodies the inventive spirit and refined whimsy of the time. Beetle-form pendants and brooches were among the most imaginative expressions of this trend, crafted by a number of celebrated makers. The finest examples, such as the present lot, combine exquisite jewel - lery workmanship with the intrigue of hidden horology. The case is rich - ly decorated with enamel and precious stones, while the abdomen and legs are chased and engraved with remarkable naturalism. A discreet pusher at the tip of the insect releases the wings, to reveal a small white enamel dial beneath. 81 HENRY CAPT: A RARE 19 TH CENTURY DIAMOND, ENAMEL AND GARNET LAPEL WATCH, SWISS The ball pendant watch, of red guilloché enamel and rose-cut diamond chequerboard pattern, centring a circular white enamel dial with Ara - bic numerals, the suspension of similar design and bar brooch centring stylised beetle garnet wings, ruby eyes and accented with rose-cut dia - monds, dial signed Hy Capt, in silver and gold, length 6.7cm € 1,200 - 1,800 Henry Capt (1749- circa1840) was one of Geneva’s most accom- plished goldsmiths and watchmakers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Trained as a horologist, he soon broadened his practice to encompass jewellery and objets de vertu. Capt’s creations reflect the prevailing Neoclassical taste of the period — distinguished by harmonious proportions, graceful simplicity, and finely executed geometric ornament. His works often incorporate diamonds and coloured gemstones with exquisite precision, demonstrating a jew - eller’s eye for detail and a watchmaker’s mastery of mechanism. A noted inventor as well as craftsman, Capt patented several designs for musical and automaton timepieces, securing his reputation as one of Geneva’s leading makers of luxury objects.