ANONYME

Gold pocket watch with regulator dial, center seconds and apertures for playing dice Round hinged case, guilloche caseband, smooth back, gilt metal bowl with double opening for time setting and key winding, marked "jeu de passe dix". Silvered and guilloche dial of regulator type with off-center hours and minutes, Roman numerals, center seconds with railway minute track, Arabic numerals, three apertures for the playing dice. Mechanical movement with key winding, double opening on the bowl for the clockwork and automaton, which bears the words "Jeu de passe dix". Pierced and chiseled cock, spiral balance, setting disc. Diameter 56 mm Gross weight. 115.4 gr The words "jeu de passe dix" on the bowl of this watch suggest that the three apertures are for an automaton designed to play dice by means of a watch mechanism. While the famous "421" combination is well known today, the origin of gaming dice can be traced back to antiquity and even earlier, to 1800 BC in the Rig-Veda writings in India. The piece here, rare in the history of time, also illustrates the inventiveness of watchmakers. It was probably a special commission from a well-informed collector keen on "dice games".