Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

A 19th century gold watch bangle, circa 1870, the bloomed gold bangle with applied wirework and beaded decoration throughout, centred with a Swiss watch, enclosed beneath hinged cover with rose-cut diamond set initial ‘S’, the watch with white enamel dial and black Roman numerals, the bangle engraved with a German inscription: “Schnell fliegt hin die Zeit / des Mannes treue Liebe bleibt / Weihnachten 1883” translating as: “Time flies by quickly but a husband’s faithful love remains, Christmas 1883”, the clasp stamped ‘585’, together with winder key, bangle inner dimensions 58 x 46mm. £1,200-£1,500

Provenance:
Purchased by the vendor’s grandfather as a wedding gift to his wife in 1928.

The bangle was originally owned by Georg Friedrich Bernhard Wilhelm Ludwig Ernst zu Solms-Braunfel, 6th Prince of Solms-Braunfels (1836-1891) and presented as a Christmas gift to his wife, Emanuela (Gallone di Tricase-Moliterno) zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst. They were married in 1878.