Bidspirit auction | Silver Pocket Watch by Billodes

Silver Pocket Watch by Billodes (later Zenith) – Signed K. Serkisoff & Co, Constantinople – Late 19th Century - A fine Swiss pocket watch manufactured by Billodes, the company that later became Zenith, produced for the Ottoman market and signed on the dial: K. Serkisoff & Co – Constantinople White enamel dial with black Roman numerals, original hands, and subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock. The case is Swiss silver, stamped 0.800 fineness, bearing the cantonal bear hallmark and “Registered Billodes” mark. Case numbers: 980 / 431. Dial diameter: 3.2 cm Total weight: 66.5 grams Condition: Not in working order. Crystal missing. The dial shows staining and age wear. Case with surface wear and scratches consistent with age. The stickers on the case back are not original and were applied by a previous owner who was an amateur watchmaker. An early and interesting Billodes example from the period prior to the adoption of the Zenith name, retailed in Constantinople — a desirable piece for collectors of Ottoman-market and early Swiss watches. Sold as is.