French Couture Peacock Bracelet Watch

Description

An ethereal evening gown (French, 1910) of chiffon and satin is in the Museum’s collection; its label indicates that it was made by Weeks, a French fashion house of the period. Embroidered with colorful peacock feathers of silk and metallic thread, the dress features the unstructured silhouette introduced by Paul Poiret (French, 1879– 1947). This gown’s feather motif is the source for our distinctive watch.

24K gold overlay, hand enameled, with a mother-of-pearl face. Quartz movement. Case: 1''L x 3/4''W; band: adjusts from 7 1/4'' to 7 7/8''L with removable extender link.

Art History

Favored for its shimmering exoticism by champions of the Aesthetic and Art Nouveau movements, the peacock feather enjoyed a lively vogue as a design motif in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its graceful contours and rich iridescent hues were adapted to every manner of the decorative arts: textiles and graphic design; porcelain, glass and metalwork; even furniture and interior decoration. The popular motif continued to inspire designers well into the new century.