Incredible 255-year-old antique discovered in attic worth £10k

An 18th-century ruby-encrusted antique is set to fetch up to £10,000 at auction after its The 255-year-old pocket watch even had ties to the and Madame de Pompadour, a member of the French court and mistress of King Louis XV, before turning up in the attic of a Devon home.

Created almost two decades before the French Revolution by renowned watchmaker Jean Romilly in a style that “defined 18th-century Paris”, the gold tri-coloured watch is adorned with rubies and diamonds and opens to reveal a “breathtaking movement” framed by intricate garlands, swags and foliage. The “extraordinary timepiece with an incredible history” dating back to around 1770 is accompanied by a matching stone-set key and chatelain, and remains in “remarkable condition” according to Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers.

Hanson added: “This ruby-encrusted Parisian skeleton pocket watch was made by Jean Romilly, a celebrated watchmaker whose life story parallels the rise of the French Enlightenment.

“This timepiece is not just a watch, but a true work of art — a noble relic from a bygone era. Jean Romilly’s name is synonymous with the finest watch movements of the period, and this piece perfectly exemplifies his exceptional craft.

“It embodies the grandeur of the Rococo period, reflecting the exuberant taste that defined 18th-century Paris, the epicenter of European luxury at the time.”

Watchmaker Romilly was born into a clock-making family in before perfecting their craft in and forming close ties with figures such as philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Madame de Pompadour.

The watch was assessed by Christie’s London in 1893, and the original notes are preserved in an old envelope. 

It is set to go up for at Hansons’ international fine art, silver, jewellery, watches and antiques auction in Derbyshire on 27 March.