Father Goriot (1835)

Honoré de Balzac's novel follows the ruined devotion of Jean-Joachim Goriot and the social education of Eugène de Rastignac in Paris. (Open Library)

Watches

Breguet pocket watch: Rastignac opens a small case and finds a Breguet watch from Delphine de Nucingen, turning the luxury timepiece into a token of romantic patronage.

Source text: He went to the chimney-piece, saw the little square case, opened it, and found a watch of Breguet’s make wrapped in paper, on which these words were written: "I want you to think of me every hour, because... DELPHINE." (Project Gutenberg ebook 1237)