Oversize 66.5mm Memento Mori Skeleton Triple Calendar Moon Phase Pocket Watch

Presenting an extraordinary, museum-grade antique Memento Mori pocket watch, circa 1890s. Measuring a massive 66.5mm in diameter, this highly complicated timepiece features a triple calendar display (day, date, and month) alongside a classic moon phase aperture.

The Memento Mori (Latin for “Remember that you must die”) philosophy has deep roots in horological history. During the 18th and 19th centuries, timepieces adorned with skulls, skeletons, and esoteric symbols were crafted for elite patrons, serving as philosophical instruments that reminded the wearer of the fleeting nature of time (tempus fugit). This late-19th-century piece is a spectacular manifestation of macabre horology, combining a highly complex Swiss calendar movement with profound mortality symbolism and imposing physical dimensions.

Technical Specifications

Dial & Complication Details

The complex white enamel dial is a masterwork of highly customized macabre design, entirely tailored to fit the Memento Mori theme.

• Numerals: The hour markers are ingeniously crafted from illustrations of human bones, forming precise and striking indicators around the dial’s perimeter.

• Calendar Sub-dials: Three finely detailed subsidiary dials track the calendar layout in French, featuring gold-tone decorative centers. The top dial indicates the month (JAN, FEB, MAR), the right dial indicates the day of the week (LUN, MAR, MER), and the left dial indicates the date (1-31).

• Moon Phase & Seconds: At the 6 o’clock position, a beautifully painted lunar disc rotates to display the current phase of the moon against a starry night sky, integrated seamlessly within the running seconds track.

• Hands: Original, dark oxidized spade-style hands indicate the central hours and minutes, offering excellent legibility against the white enamel.

Case & Movement Details

• The Case: The massive 66.5mm oversize case provides an incredibly heavy, commanding presence. It utilizes a striking two-tone aesthetic, featuring a dark, gunmetal-finished smooth mid-case sandwiched by heavily chased gold-tone bezels with repeating floral and botanical patterns.

• Case Back (High Relief): The reverse is dominated by a dramatic, three-dimensional high-relief applied sculpture. It features a full human skeleton with arms raised, flanked by two highly detailed, coiled serpents. A polished gold-tone banner reading “MEMENTO MORI” anchors the scene at the bottom.

• The Movement: Powering this intricate watch is a large, early Swiss mechanical manual-wind movement. It features a traditional frosted silver finish, a lever escapement, and a pin-set mechanism (time is set by depressing the small pin on the case edge while turning the crown). The movement winds smoothly, and all calendar and moon phase functions operate perfectly.

Shipping & Handling:

Item will be securely double-boxed and packaged with the highest level of care to ensure the safe global transit of the heavy oversize case, complex mechanical calendar movement, and delicate enamel dial. Dispatched swiftly from our European logistics hub in Sofia, Bulgaria, with fully tracked, expedited, and insured delivery to guarantee it arrives exactly as described.