French Onion Watch

Masterpiece Watch Restoration LLC

French Onion Watch
Isaac Yver, Bordeaux Circa 1690
These watches were named after the vegetable they resemble in size and shape.
There were many made and sold in Paris around 1700.

This single hand watch looks strange. A hand at the center points to the hour at which the alarm is set to sound. This hand and numbered disk in the center of the dial rotates once in twelve hours. The marker (now aligned with the roman numeral II) indicates the time of day. There is no minute hand as is common today. The accuracy of watches and the clocks by which they were set was not as moment specific as today. Hand craftsmanship was not lacking as each part was made with simple machinery powered by hand and foot. Both the interior and exterior parts were carefully embellished with decorative designs
French Onion watch face

French Onion watch open

A large polished steel bell is visible inside the pierced case. There is no lack of volume as the alarm sounds to awaken those who sleep.
Truly an example of mechanical artistry of the 17th century, this watch has two mainsprings, both wound by a key through the two holes in front of the watch. Both are wound in the counter clockwise direction which would not be possible if the fusee and wheels were arranged in a more common fashion. . The fusee is spiraled in the reverse direction of more common watches.

The Fusee chain traverses near the center of the watch.

This arrangement has some mechanical advantages as well.

French Onion watch movement

Tompion Regulator bridge

This watch required the replacement of the ornate blue steel Tompion Regulator Bridge (shown in the photo at left) and the pinion hidden under the numbered Regulator Dial. We fabricated the necessary parts and provided the usual cleaning, oiling & adjustment, as well as the pivot work to restore the movement to its original function and beauty.

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This single hand watch looks strange. A hand at the center points to the hour at which the alarm is set to sound. This hand and numbered disk in the center of the dial rotates once in twelve hours. The marker (now aligned with the roman numeral II) indicates the time of day. There is no minute hand as is common today. The accuracy of watches and the clocks by which they were set was not as moment specific as today. Hand craftsmanship was not lacking as each part was made with simple machinery powered by hand and foot. Both the interior and exterior parts were carefully embellished with decorative designs
	A large polished steel bell is visible inside the pierced case. There is no lack of volume as the alarm sounds to awaken those who sleep. Truly an example of mechanical artistry of the 17th century, this watch has two mainsprings, both wound by a key through the two holes in front of the watch. Both are wound in the counter clockwise direction which would not be possible if the fusee and wheels were arranged in a more common fashion. . The fusee is spiraled in the reverse direction of more common watches.
The Fusee chain traverses near the center of the watch.	This arrangement has some mechanical advantages as well.

	This watch required the replacement of the ornate blue steel Tompion Regulator Bridge (shown in the photo at left) and the pinion hidden under the numbered Regulator Dial. We fabricated the necessary parts and provided the usual cleaning, oiling & adjustment, as well as the pivot work to restore the movement to its original function and beauty.