Presenting an exceptionally rare treasure, this lot features a pair of ornate antique pocket watches crafted by the esteemed Swiss watchmaker Edouard Juvet. These matching timepieces epitomize the artistry of 19th-century decorative watchmaking, originating from the famed watchmaking valley of Fleurier in the Swiss Jura Mountains. It was here that Edouard Juvet mastered exquisite techniques like enameling, creating timepieces tailored for the discerning Chinese market, which had a penchant for European luxuries. While it is often believed that pairs were purchased for aesthetic reasons with appreciation of symmetry in Asian culture, the primary intention was practical: one watch served as a spare, crucial in an era when sending a watch back to Fleurier for repair could take two years. The concept of specular paintings also emerged from Bovet, responding to the cultural appreciation for symmetry among Asian collectors.

The demand for Swiss watches surged in China during the mid-19th century, with Juvet's exquisite enamel artistry highly sought after. His creations sold rapidly in bustling Shanghai and extended to Saigon and Tianjin, tapping into emerging Asian markets. As Juvet's son Leo noted in his memoirs, their watches were "selling like salt," highlighting the vast potential of the Chinese luxury market even then.

Each pocket watch proudly displays Juvet's signature ornate enamel work on the caseback, a meticulous process that involves applying vibrant enamel over delicately engraved images. The scenes depict a couple in love—a dashing Musketeer and a lady with a peacock fan—capturing the essence of courtship in rich, enduring colors that have stood the test of time.

Inside each case, one of Juvet's highly regarded key-wound movements ticks away, delivering exceptional accuracy. The movements are adorned with floral motifs, while the gold cuvettes feature engravings of stars and ribbons. Pristine white enamel dials showcase bold black Roman numerals for the hours, complemented by delicate Arabic numerals for the minutes at 15, 30, 45, and 60. The bezels, pendants, and bows are exquisitely decorated with half flowers in blue and white over translucent red enamel, enhanced by engine turning.

For collectors who cherish not only mechanical artistry but also the rich heritage and narratives behind 19th-century watchmaking and cultural exchange, this remarkable opportunity to acquire a matching pair of Juvet's masterpieces—exceptionally well-preserved and accompanied by their original leather presentation box—is truly significant. Their vibrant beauty and rarity affirm Edouard Juvet's legacy as one of the most skilled and celebrated watchmaking artisans of Fleurier in the 19th century. Similar to the enduring stories of an era filled with musketeers, these pocket watches part of the Sandberg collection are destined to be treasured as exceptional relics of horology's rich history for generations to come.