Founded in Switzerland in 1918, Eska produced a broad range of wristwatches, but it is the rare models featuring cloisonné enamel dials from around 1950 that have attracted particular attention among international collectors. These watches combine traditional Swiss watchmaking with sophisticated decorative craftsmanship, each dial representing a miniature work of art.

Cloisonné is a demanding enamelling technique in which fine metal wires define the outlines of a design and divide it into individual compartments filled with enamel. Repeated firings at high temperatures bring out the colours and details, but each stage carries a considerable risk of cracking and other imperfections. The painstaking process and exceptional precision required meant that these dials were produced in very limited numbers.

Several of Eska's most remarkable dials are associated with Stern Frères, the esteemed Geneva-based dial manufacturer, and its specialist enamel artists. A particularly well-documented example is the Eska bearing case number 127'103, whose cloisonné enamel dial depicting a circus scene was executed by Marguerite Koch for Stern Frères. Christie's has also linked this particular dial to the Stern Frères archives, where both the artist's working design and her remuneration were documented.

The present watch, bearing case number 127'100, is separated by only three numbers from the aforementioned example. This proximity is especially intriguing given the limited production of these artistically ambitious watches.

The international auction market has recently demonstrated the considerable collector interest these unusual Eska models can attract. In December 2024, example 127'103 sold at Christie's for USD 47,880 against a pre-sale estimate of USD 12,000-20,000. Even more remarkable was the result achieved by an Eska bearing case number 127'402, which sold at Christie's Hong Kong for HKD 1,216,000 against a pre-sale estimate of HKD 80,000-160,000. The result was more than seven times the high estimate.

Eska cloisonné enamel watches occupy a specialised segment of vintage horology in which artistic execution and the history of craftsmanship are central to their appeal. They are watches for the connoisseur, for the collector who values rarity and individuality and seeks a piece of horological history beyond the best-known models of established luxury brands.