Swiss silver niëllo quarter repeating lever watch Circa 1914

Niëllo silver commemorative watch by Le Phare
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A fine and rare Swiss silver and niëllo quarter repeating open faced keyless lever pocket watch commemorating the Tir Cantonal du Centenaire 1814-1914 in Genève, Suisse, circa 1914. Frosted gilt movement, 23 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a button in the band. Hinged silver cuvette engraved with the arms of Geneva. White enamel dial with black Breguet hour, outer minute divisions, sunk subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and blued steel spade hands. The bezel, band and bow with oak, laurel and berry damascened decoration and the case back is decorated with the arms of Geneva within an oak and laurel leaf border.
Dial signed, movement signed and numbered. Accompanied by the original fitted presentation box.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: Le Phare
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The Le Phare watch manufactory was founded in 1888 in Le Locle, Switzerland, high in the Neuchâtel mountains. The company, which later launched the Jean d’Eve watch range, has left its mark on the story of Swiss watchmaking. Indeed, from 1889, its watches were rewarded by the most eminent prizes, a gold medal at the National Exhibition of 1896 in Geneva followed that of 1889 at the Great Universal Exhibition in Paris. In 1897 the silent regulator was invented. A veritable technological marvel that overcame the humming problems beset by the repeater watches of the day. This brought another gold medal for Le Phare at the Paris Great Exhibition of 1900. The company continued to develop and in 1970 was the second largest producer of chronograph watches in Switzerland. The management’s strategy is to take maximum advantage of its remarkable know how to develop new ways of measuring time.