Ultra thin French rose gold repeating cylinder watch Circa 1833

Gold open faced quarter repeater by Breguet
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An elegant and ultra thin French 18 carat rose gold open faced quarter repeating cylinder pocket watch, circa 1833. Sold on April 24th, 1833 to Monsieur Rodas for 850 Francs. Bridge movement, key wind, two hammers, two gongs, cylinder escapement, three arm brass balance, the quarter repeater activated by pulling out a button in the pendant, turning it, and then pressing it down again. Two-tone silvered engine turned dial with Roman hours and outer minute dots. Engine turned case back, case maker’s mark EW. Cuvette signed and numbered, the case numbered.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Weight: 54 g
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Signed: Breguet à Paris
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Abraham-Louis Breguet was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland in 1747 and died in 1823 at the age of 77. At age 15, he left for Paris where he studied various disciplines, mathematics, astrology, horology, etc. He began his watchmaking career by marrying a wealthy heiress and establishing his first watch factory in Paris. He hired the most skilled and renowned horologers and master watchmakers. They realized his brilliant and innovative ideas. In 1786, he moved to London and set up a workshop where high-quality pocket watches and chronometers were manufactured. In 1789, he returned to Paris, where he remained until 1793 when he fled for political reasons. With the arrival of Louis XVIII, he became in charge of the ‘Centre Horloger de Versailles’ and was appointed ‘Horloger de la Marine’, he further entered the Academy of Sciences, and the King personally imposes on him the ‘Legion of Honour’. His innovations and improvements shocked the already existing watchmaking industry.