Antique Monaco Roulette Wheel Pocket Watch Game.

Antique Monaco Roulette Wheel Pocket Watch Game.

Chromium plated, French roulette wheel in the shaped of an open-face, keyless-winding, round-shaped, pocket watch. Starting the game by pulling and releasing the dummy winding-crown.

rand Unsigned, France

Year circa 1920-1930

Diameter 50.4 mm

Notes

A similar model of “adult toy” is known, under the name of Little “Monte-Carlo”. The movement of this one was made under the Swiss invention patent No. 29 070 of 1903.

The idea was taken up again a little later, in the 1930s and 1940s, by Cartier of Paris and Longines of Saint-Imier, with a pocket watch placed in a ball bearing ring engraved with numbers, allowing to play “à la roulette” on one side, “à la boule” on the other.

Nowadays, watch manufacturers have integrated this game of chance in their wristwatches: Franck Muller, Geneva, with the “Vegas” models (c.2000-2010); Corum, La Chaux-de- Fonds, with the “Bubble Roulette” model (limited edition, 2003); Bell & Ross, with the “Casino” model (limited edition, 2011).