Mid-century Van Cleef & Arpels Paris 18K Gold “Drawer” Watch

Created in the 1950s, this mid-century Van Cleef & Arpels Paris “Drawer” travel watch is formed of 18K gold. The exterior is designed as a small rectangular box with basketweave motifs and sliding top opening to reveal a square case with goldtone dial with Arabic and abstract numeral indicators, enclosing a manual wind movement. Sleek and charming, perfect for the purse, this mid-Century collector’s item revives the New Look era of elegance and chic. Item #: W-21770 Artist: Van Cleef & Arpels Country: France Circa: 1950s Dimensions: 11.25″ length, 0.75″ width. Materials: 18K Gold Gram Weight: 29.6 g. Signed: VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, 10965G, 66.943, French assay marks, VCA maker’s mark Literature: For a “drawer” watch in precious wood dating from 1935, see Van Cleef & Arpels, by Sylvie Raulet, p. 313. Macklowe Gallery Curator’s Notes: Though the wristwatch had supplanted chatelaine and pendant watches by the 1920s, and the new form was elevated at Van Cleef & Arpels by their interpretations involving gems and creative design, not all chic women wanted to wear them. For these stylish holdouts, the firm created little watches in precious materials that could be affixed to the exterior of handbags, disguised as a clasp, or slipped into the purse, like this model.