Girard-Perregaux La Esmeralda Pocket Watch

Blomman Mr Blue presents 'La Esmeralda,' a historic Girard-Perregaux pocket watch from 1889, created for the Universal Exhibition in Paris. His post highlights the exquisite craftsmanship of its pink gold hunter case and the striking contrast with its sober dial, offering a glimpse into a significant piece of horological history.

Friends,

I saved this beauty for us to admire here in the New Year: La Esmeralda!

Made in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition in Paris.

The Pink Gold hunter case was engraved by the Fritz Kundert, a local La Chaux-de Fonds master engraver with a workshop that was skilled in engraving, enameling and gem settings.

The case is signed FK on the inside, but too small to see in my photos.

The motif with the running horses is just stunning and the decoration all around the outside of the case is of the highest craftsmanship!

If we open the front of the case it reviles a very sober and plain dial compared with the outside of the case.

Straight plain black numerals, white enamel dial with heated blued hands and sub-second at six. Yes, I don’t need to show you a photo for you to know which modern watch this reminds me of!

Here seen from another angle, we see that the inside of the case is undecorated, polished like a mirror.

If we open a bit more… La Esmeralda is not a small piece, 56 mm in diameter and 18.5 mm thick. As you see the case is thick as well, no Gold Plated here!

A heavy piece in all aspects. Probably the most famous of all the historical pieces of Girard-Perregaux!

If we turn the watch around, you see the inner crystal to protect the movement and the extra inner case back, this time decorated.

And yes, here it is! The Tourbillon with Three Golden Bridges!

Horology in its most beautiful form!

The by now classic three “arrow” shaped bridges holding the movement. Look at the size of the rubies!

OK, if I ever start to collect pocket Watches – I want one of these!

When we zoom in on the barrel we see the signature: Giriard-Perregaux, Patented March 25, 1884. This refers to the patent that was filed in the US for the Three Golden Bridges movement on that day.

The movement is a One-minute Chronometer Tourbillon beating at a pace of 21 600 vph / 3 Hz and with a power reserve of 32 hours.

The name La Esmeralda comes from the luxury store La Esmeralda that sold fine Swiss watches in Mexico City at that time. The store was owned by Hauser, Zivy & Co. Hauser, Zivy & Co had stores both in Paris and Mexico City, hence the “Mexico – Paris”.

The watch created by Constant Girard, here seen with his wife Marie Perregaux.

And if we finally look at the backside of La Esmeralda, we see a big CG.

A huge thank you to Girard-Perregaux for letting me see this piece of art in the metal and for letting me share these photos with you here!

For those of you, who would like to read more about the history behind, please see this Press release from the 125 anniversary of La Esmeralda:

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Best

Blomman