A very fine Boucheron, Paris, wristwatch of 18K yellow gold with a sapphire bezel and cabochon sapphire on the stem. This watch is a collaboration between The House of Boucheron and Omega, as the works of the watch are clearly marked with the Omega symbol. The works have 17 jewels. The strap, which is a single piece of leather with a closure on the watch's side is quite small, measuring 4 1/4". A larger strap is available from Boucheron. The reverse of the case is marked, " Boucheron Paris", in their distinctive type face, followed by the Greek letter "Omega". Also on the case is the French gold mark for 18K, the eagle's head. (see note) This piece bears the style number and assay marks: " BT 1203255" and "78445" About Boucheron: The House of Boucheron is a French family dynasty founded by Frederic Boucheron in 1858.Frederic Boucheron was the first jeweler to move to Place Vendome, which he did in 1893. Legend has it that he chose 26 Place Vendome, where Boucheron remains to this day, because it was the sunniest corner of the square. He believed that the diamonds in the windows would sparkle all the more brilliantly. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was especially fond of her Boucheron tiara which she inherited from Lady Greville, who originally purchased it from the House. Her grandson Prince Charles passed the tiara onto his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as a wedding gift. Queen Elizabeth of England also has a collection of Boucheron jewels as did Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor. American royalty are also collectors of Boucheron creations. Household names like the Astors, the Vanderbilts, and the Rockefellers have returned again and again to the House of Boucheron for exceptional pieces of High Jewelry. Actors, royalty and artists have also been fans of Boucheron since it opened its doors 150 years ago. Caroline Otero, the temptresses known as La Belle Otero, when she was a cabaret dancer at the turn of the 19th century was a Boucheron enthusiast as was the famed theater actress Sarah Bernhardt and the writers Oscar Wilde and Marcel Proust. While film stars including Greta Garbo, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich also bejeweled themselves with Boucheron. More recently celebrities like Eva Longoria, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Diane Kruger have all come under the Boucheron spell of spectacular creations. About French Gold Marks: The most easily recognized and commonly seen French mark is the eagle’s head, indicating 18K gold, and in use from 1838 until 1961. It is the mark indicating Paris. |
