1356 - Erotic Savonnette Pocket Watch with Moving Figurine Automaton

Erotic Savonnette Pocket Watch with Moving Figurine Automaton "Erotic Automaton Pocket Watch" Switzerland, probably ca. 1900. 585/- rose gold, hallmarked "Three-Lid Gold." Total weight: 122.2 g. Hallmarks on all covers: 56, K 14, 0.585, squirrel, crown, No. 96756. Diameter: 5.6 cm. Case No. 96756. In the original case of a watchmaker and optician from Gothenburg. In working condition. Very good condition. Three-cover savonnette case with crown winding. White enamel dial with black Arabic numerals, minute track, and filigree hands. In the lower part of the dial, a three-dimensional, gold-colored erotic figure scene featuring a movable male figure. The figure automaton is driven by the movement at one-second intervals. Mechanical anchor escapement with a Breguet balance spring. Inner case back featuring engraved medallion depictions and technical quality designations, including “Ancre,” “15 Levées Visibles,” “Spiral Breguet,” and “Rubis.” Erotic automaton watches constitute a special area of collecting within the historical art of watchmaking. They combine the precision of mechanical movements with the playful depiction of moving figures. In this particular example, an erotic scene is integrated into the dial as a sculptural relief, with the male figure moved rhythmically by a mechanism connected to the movement. Such automatons are part of the tradition of mechanical curiosities and erotic luxury objects of the 19th and early 20th centuries.