Small Swiss 18K gold hunting cased lever watch Circa 1845

Gold decorative pocket watch by Czapek & Cie
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A small, decorative Swiss 18 carat gold hunting cased lever pocket watch, circa 1845. Bridge movement, early lever escapement, temperature compensation, three-arm steel balance. White enamel dial with Roman hours and outer minute track. Lavishly engine-turned and florally engraved case with the portrait of Napoleon. Case numbered, cuvette signed and numbered. Comes with the original key.
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Diameter: 44 mm
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Weight: 50 g
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Signed: Czapek & Cie à Genève
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In 1839, long before the company Patek Philippe existed, François (originally Franciszek) Czapek , a native of Poland, founded the watch manufactory Patek, Czapek & Cie in Geneva together with Antoine de Patek. The cooperation ended some years later due to irreconcilable differences and from 1845 on Czapek produced high-quality timepieces for his aristocratic clientele under the name Czapek & Cie. In 1869, the company ceased trading for unknown reasons. François Czapek wrote the first book on watchmaking in the Polish language.