Wall Clock In Cut Crystal And Gilt Bronze, Ch. Hour – France

This wall clock, signed Ch. HOUR – France, is part of the French tradition of 20th-century ornamental clockmaking, a period during which certain houses perpetuated classical taste while adapting it to modern interiors. The design features a rigorously balanced circular structure, characterized by a wide surround of thick crystal finely cut into diamond points. The quality of the cut, clean and deep, produces a particularly subtle play of light. The crystal, used here as a true architectural element, transcends its purely decorative function to become the principal aesthetic element of the piece. The white enamel dial, with black Roman numerals and a peripheral minute track, is animated by Breguet-style hands. The frame and bail are made of molded gilt bronze. The aesthetic is a controlled neoclassicism, inspired by the Louis XVI vocabulary—clear geometry, symmetry, and ornamental restraint—reinterpreted according to 20th-century decorative sensibilities. The signature Ch. Hour – France corresponds to a French company active in the 20th century, specializing in clocks and decorative clocks for furnishings. During this period, French decorative clocks held an important place in bourgeois interiors and the decorative arts. Companies such as Ch. Hour produced models intended for a clientele committed to the quality of materials and timeless elegance, reconciling stylistic tradition with functional modernity. These pieces testify to the continuity of French expertise in working with bronze and crystal, in a context where clocks retained a strong status and decorative dimension. Dimensions: Diameter: 21 cm Total height (including bail): 28 cm Condition: Excellent condition. Perfectly clear crystal, without chips or imperfections. Even gilding. Movement in working order.