# French Pocket Watch - S. Jacques



## Amphibimoose

Fellow horologists,

I haven't posted in here for a number of months but I thought this deserved posting 

My brother recently took a trip to Europe and brought me back this nice old Pocket Watch from the markets in Nice.

I find it facinating 

Some of it is silver and has a porcelain dial with a sub second hand and on the movement is engraved " L' Alouette" and a small Lark. On the dial is lettered;

S. JACQUES

20^ RUE.D'AIX 20'

MARSEILLE

Inside the case is stamped : Argentan ? (hard to read) And: The number 14 on the dust cover and the side of the case.

If anyone could tell me how old it might be or any other information that would be wonderful 



The picture isn't great but gives you the general idea until I can take some more.

Cheers guys,

Moose


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## Guest

Amphibimoose said:


> Fellow horologists,
> 
> I haven't posted in here for a number of months but I thought this deserved posting
> 
> My brother recently took a trip to Europe and brought me back this nice old Pocket Watch from the markets in Nice.
> 
> I find it facinating
> 
> Some of it is silver and has a porcelain dial with a sub second hand and on the movement is engraved " L' Alouette" and a small Lark. On the dial is lettered;
> 
> S. JACQUES
> 
> 20^ RUE.D'AIX 20'
> 
> MARSEILLE
> 
> Inside the case is stamped : Argentan ? (hard to read) And: The number 14 on the dust cover and the side of the case.
> 
> If anyone could tell me how old it might be or any other information that would be wonderful
> 
> 
> 
> The picture isn't great but gives you the general idea until I can take some more.
> 
> Cheers guys,
> 
> Moose


Argentan (I know it well) is about 600 miles NW of Marseille, the french word for silver is Argent, so at a guess I would say that it merely confirms what you already know (it's silver).

L'alouette is french for Lark, but yet again, you already know that.

Sorry that I couldn't be of any more help

Cheers

Lee


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## tranber70

Hi,

I think Catflem mix a city and an alloy. In yur case, argentan refers to the alloy, a mix of copper, zinc and nickel.

This alloy looks like silver.

Regarding the origin of yur watch, it was very common for small jewellers to "produce" their own watches, buying on one side the movement, the box and the dial. Assembling was home made.

I made a research to find a Jacques in Marseille without any success.

Based on the look of the watch and to be franc with yu, I don't see any economical interest, as I suspect a "popular" movement.

Now, as it is a gift from yur brother, yu have to determine by yurself the "value" of this watch.

Hoping to have served yu,

Bertrand

P.S. : I have no information on these movements "l'alouette", sorry. Yu can check on this site if yu can find the symbol designed on the watch http://www.antique-horology.org/trademarks/default.asp.


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## Amphibimoose

Thanks for your replies guys 

I had a play with it today and fixed up a few things that werent working on it, it now winds and I polished the case a little bit, a little more and it will shine nicely. I fixed the case so it now snaps into place and straightened up the minutes/hours hand though it needs to be soldered.

The balance wheel doesn't seem to hold itself up and so it doesn't oscillate, so I assume I need a new spring, other than that everything else seems to work pretty well...

Would love to know how old this thing really is as I can't find any information about any of it so far...will keep looking around.


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## Amphibimoose

PS : Found some ebay Pocket watches with the same movement...thats about it.


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## Mikrolisk

L'Alouette is a brand name of the "Japy Freres et Cie" ebauche manufacture in Beaucourt for cheap watches, founded in 1771 by FrÃ©dÃ©ric Japy.

Other brand names from this manufacture are:

8th Feb 1892: "Ancre francaise"

28th Feb 1892: "La Gauloise"

27th Sep 1894: "La Favorite", "La Parisienne", "La Vigilante"

28th Feb 1896: "La DÃ©mocrate", "Le Fleuron"

8th Sep 1898: "Cyrano"

22nd Mar 1902: "SuccÃ¨s", "*L'Alouette*"

22nd Sep 1904: "La Melissa"

(see "Adolphe Chapiro - Taschenuhren aus vier Jahrhunderten", Callwey [Don't know the english title])

Andreas


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## Amphibimoose

1902 well I never... Thankyou Mikrolisk 

I just like the fact that it has survived two world wars, in France no less...so it must have been precious to someone (or a number of people over its lifetime).


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## tranber70

I am definitely missing this book.

Bertrand



Mikrolisk said:


> L'Alouette is a brand name of the "Japy Freres et Cie" ebauche manufacture in Beaucourt for cheap watches, founded in 1771 by FrÃ©dÃ©ric Japy.
> 
> Other brand names from this manufacture are:
> 
> 8th Feb 1892: "Ancre francaise"
> 
> 28th Feb 1892: "La Gauloise"
> 
> 27th Sep 1894: "La Favorite", "La Parisienne", "La Vigilante"
> 
> 28th Feb 1896: "La DÃ©mocrate", "Le Fleuron"
> 
> 8th Sep 1898: "Cyrano"
> 
> 22nd Mar 1902: "SuccÃ¨s", "*L'Alouette*"
> 
> 22nd Sep 1904: "La Melissa"
> 
> (see "Adolphe Chapiro - Taschenuhren aus vier Jahrhunderten", Callwey [Don't know the english title])
> 
> Andreas


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