The story seems to be first broken in English by Ananova.
| Swiss watch found in 400-year-old tomb |
Archeologists in China are baffled after finding a tiny Swiss watch in a 400-year-old tomb.
The watch ring was discovered as archeologists were making a documentary with two journalists from Shangsi town.
“When we tried to remove the soil wrapped around the coffin, a piece of rock suddenly dropped off and hit the ground with a metallic sound,? said Jiang Yanyu, former curator of the Guangxi Autonomous Region Museum.
“We picked up the object, and found it was a ring. After removing the covering soil and examining it further, we were shocked to see it was a watch.”
The time was stopped at 10:06am, and on the back was engraved the word “Swiss”, reports the People’s Daily.
Local experts say they are confused as they believe the tomb had been undisturbed since it was created during the Ming dynasty 400 years ago.
They have suspended the dig and are waiting for experts to arrive from Beijing and help them unravel the mystery.
Stories like this are important for spiritual people so we can ponder the possibilites… and expand our governors. Who made it? When was it made? How did it get there? Is it a hoax? Do some homework and come up with some of your own possibilites.
More information is available from a Chinese website in translation.
Si Qing of Guangxi on giant coffin tomb found strange, “watch” it clearly engraved with the “Switzerland” 2 words
Dec. 11 shooting of the giant coffin in the grave was found while the pocket-sized “watch” side, “watch” for a long strap, and not the same as ordinary rings.
Is really incredible, Dec. 11, 2008, Shangsi County some time ago unearthed in the “concrete” coffin giant grave side had found a “watch.” On the same day, archaeologists and related CCTV reporter came to the giant coffin unearthed on-site visits, had appeared in such incredible.
On the same day, China Central Television and China Correspondent 2 Tonggu Research Association, Guangxi, head of cultural relics expert group, the former curator of the Museum of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region came to Mr. Jiang Tingyu Shangsi County, the county on Nov. 2 unearthed in the second half of the sarcophagus for Study, reported an interview. 11:00 or so, the study group reported that his party came to the sarcophagus unearthed at the scene, on-site inspection and surrounding environment, video, giant coffin was found (the smaller) unearthed a grave while there are about 5 kg of concrete (Giant By the coffin made of concrete). In later dug up in that some pieces of concrete, concrete debris from the bottom suddenly fell off a metal items, fell down a rock face, the voice of the impact sent metal. Inspection team reported that a careful look at the fall found a “ring.”
After identifying that this “Ring” is the bronze with the same general size of the rings, “rings” were the surface of the shape of a watch, clock and the minute hand points to 10:06, also has the edge as the wind-up watch on New Zealand. Hand “ring” of a few in-house clean, Plum-shaped depression found carved patterns, which clearly engraved with the “Switzerland” 2 words, this is obviously a pocket-sized “Swiss watch.” “Watch” for a long strap, and the general ring ring different.
Experts believe that if the objects used to “watch”, but also the local people did not autopoietic kind of “pocket” of the custom metal products. And the world’s first to wear a wrist watch was born in 1904 (the other is in 1918), there are just 100 of the history of Swiss watches into China is the only thing for decades, with the sarcophagus of age Far. If the items buried with the dead is not that strange to be able to buried in the sarcophagus Excavated grave side of the earth, and was later found that the probability is very small. In short, this “watch” What is the age of the objects used for what, how and in the grave side of the earth, this is still a difficult to solve the mysteries.
On the same day, officers decided to Shangsi County heritage, to be shortly after the national experts who Shangsi giant open coffin, it together on the “watch” to identify and solve the mysteries again.
December 11, Guangxi Cultural Relics and Archeology of experts on the stadium’s giant coffin to carry out research, the China Central Television reporter next to the filming.
Related link #1 (in translation.) Note: This is a different tomb from the same area.
Giant coffin unearthed in Guangxi dialysis unknown liquid, or a total of 2 for the tomb of the couple (map)
The photo shows on November 29, a large number of unidentified liquid from the “concrete” Guan Zhong Kui effusion. Xinhua News Agency issued
Comprehensive Xinhua News Agency, “South China Morning Post,” the news on November 29, the cultural heritage of China and the Guangxi Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology Institute experts rushed to the Shangsi County, Guangxi on October 15 Shangsi County found two bodies unearthed in the coffin for giant To deal with further study. However, during transport, a coffin leakage took place, out of a large number of unknown brown liquid.
It is reported that in the Shangsi unearthed from the limestone, sand, made of glutinous rice mixed materials such as the “concrete” the Ming and Qing Dynasties era coffin A total of 2, a freshman small, it is estimated that the tomb is a husband and wife.
The morning of Nov. 29, Shangsi County Heritage Management 2 coffin will be transported to the County Theater Shangsi the house preserved for further research to deal with. As the coffin is very heavy, with workers in the steel tube pad at the bottom of the coffin, took two hours, the coffin will push forward a little bit of room. At this point, the smaller of the coffin at the bottom of the leak of a sudden a lot of unknown brown liquid, liquid weight of about 10 kg. Expert analysis of the construction site using excavators dug in the mountains of this coffin, the coffin had an estimated impact; coffin from the nearly 2-meter-high places fell down from a possible fracture, so there have been leaks.
According to experts, these liquid leakage is estimated that soil infiltration of water into the coffin, the coffin inside the object will not be affected too, experts are currently on the analysis of these liquids, Kaiguan prepared to do so.
Chinese Cultural Heritage Institute, an associate researcher at Lianghong Gang analysis by the liquid leakage also revealed a very important message: the liquid does not smell, it is estimated that Guannei still remains intact.
Prior to this, the experts tried to use the medical equipment for the coffin to carry out perspective, in a clear Guannei Kaiguan the object and then make a specific proposal. However, due to Guannei remains and other objects may be well-preserved, together with the leakage occurred in the coffin, it is necessary Kaiguan as soon as possible. In the afternoon, the experts have an emergency return to Nanning, in order to link the domestic archeology, body protection, the protection of textile products, such as top-level collaboration Kaiguan experts to come.
Experts further confirmed that the seal, so the full extent of the good “concrete” coffin was found in Guangxi is the first time, are rare in China, an important research value. (Source: Beijing Morning Post)
Modern Mechanix magazine had an article in March 1938 about another tiny watch.
Tiny Watch Worn Like Ring
CAPABLE of running for 46 hours without rewinding, a tiny watch developed by a Swiss manufacturer is fitted to a band and worn like an ordinary finger ring. The watch features unbreakable glass.
Apparently Rolex and LeCoultre both made finger watches in the 1950s.
LeCoultre Duo-Plan
18k Rolex Precision
Link to some info Swiss jewelry watches including a note about Swiss ring watches.
The Swiss jewellery watch
From around 1750 to 1850, the beauty of Genevan enamelwork was such that European watchmakers frequently turned to the city’s craftsmen. Through them, Swiss watches acquired an international style, and many bore the name of Swiss, English or French masters. Post-1780, the entire case back became a canvas for enamel painting, edged with a row of half-pearls. Genevan enamellers perfected a technique known as fondant, a colourless layer painted on top of the enamel. It protected the enamel but also enhanced and accentuated the play of light on the different colours.
Some late eighteenth-century workshops became specialised in jewellery watches for the Chinese market, a trade that continued throughout the nineteenth century. BOVET, in Fleurier, and later DIMIER, JUVET and VAUCHER, produced watches with a centre seconds hand and finely engraved movement, always in matching pairs as it was customary in China to make gifts in twos. The cases were richly decorated with vibrant glazed enamel, and edged with a row of half-pearls. 1780 also saw the return of the fantasy watch, a characteristic style of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The animal and vegetable realms inspired new models in the shape of butterflies, roses, daisies, peaches, pears, apples, oranges, strawberries, melons or walnuts. Others took the form of objects such as, but by no means limited to, baskets or musical instruments, perhaps a violin, lute or harp. Enamel-painted cupids alighted on heart-shaped watches set with pearls and rubies. Meanwhile, watches were being incorporated into other accessories, from snuffboxes and walking canes to perfume-spraying pistols, fans and opera glasses. Destined for a wealthy clientele, they were embellished with engraving, enamels and precious stones. Geneva was outstanding as a source of fantasy watches, although Paris, London and Vienna also produced some noteworthy pieces. Enamel was everywhere, in every hue and shade. Precious stones and half-pearls gave form to insects’ bodies and antennae, traced the veins on a leaf or underscored the edge of a dial.
Originating in the sixteenth century, ring-watches became newly fashionable after 1780. Oval or rectangular, their bezel was characteristically outlined with pearls and diamonds. Often the dial was set slightly off-centre, creating space for a visible balance, or for automata to enact a scene. Wristwatches in 1800-1810 would adopt the same configuration.
A Swiss ring watch.
After a parenthesis lasting from 1830 to 1890, when the watch was stripped of its jewellery aspect to fulfil a functional role, the fantasy watch returned with Art Nouveau. Flowers, branches and insects were portrayed in enamel then highlighted with precious stones. The counterpoint to their astonishing realism would be the Art Deco watch with its stylised motifs.
