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Cronier 18K Gold Pocket Watch
Antoine Cronier, or Crosnier, was a noted clockmaker active during the second half of the 18th century in Paris, France.
Cronier was born in Paris to Françoise née Boulard and Charles Crosnier. He began his apprenticeship under Nicolas Pierre Thuillier in 1745, and by 1753 was working independently, with his workshop opening by 1759 at rue Saint-Honoré, 140.
In 1763, he was recognized as a maître-horloger. His clocks used bronzes by Robert and Jean-Baptiste Osmond, Edmé Roy, René François Morlay, Nicolas Bonnet, and François Vion, and cases by cabinetmakers Jean-Pierre Latz, Balthazar Lieutaud, and François Goyer. He also worked with gilder Honoré Noël and tapissier Nicolas Leclerc.
Today his clocks are in museum collections around the world
While Antoine Cronier was famed for making beautiful clocks, this pocket watch bears all the traits of his work, from the delicate hour and minute hand designs to the large watch face surrounded by a circle of gold. While Cronier made quite elaborately designed clocks that would be the centre of attention on a mantelpiece for example, this pocket watch is quite simple in its beauty, but is still recognisable as a Cronier.
The watch face is a brilliant porcelain white, with black roman numerals and a delicate lines indicating the minutes in between. Telling the time are two thin hands.
Surrounding the clock face is 18 karat gold, atop the watch is a slender stem with an oval shaped ring.
However, the most consistent feature is the mechanism by which the watch is wound, which is to use the rather spectacular key, which also doubles as a wax seal. Almost always seen on all of Croniers clocks, this front winding key adds a nice touch to this pocket watch.
Open the case, and prepare to lose yourself in a glorious world of gold and bejeweled mechanical watch movements.
You can see the internals moving smoothly to keep time, like a horological ballet.
On the inside of the caseback are the hallmarks you would expect to see in a watch of this quality and prestige.
I could spend all day looking at this watch, losing hours just watching the internals perform their duties, just to keep time, and I wouldn’t regret one second of getting lost in this beautiful little abyss.
Given that Antoine Cronier was famed for making large elaborate clocks, the opportunity to own something as rare as this is equally as rare.
To learn more about this watch, click on the link below