Swiss rose gold repeating watch with half hour/hour strike Circa 1820

Rose gold hour repeater attributed by Piguet & Meylan
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A very fine Swiss 18 Carat rose gold open faced hour repeating pocket watch with half hour/hour strike, circa 1820. Bridge movement, key wind, two hammers, two gongs, two barrels, a pinned disc musical mechanism with vibrating blades, mirror polished levers for the musical movement, three arm gold ring balance, the musical movement can be activated on the hour or at will. White enamel dial with Arabic hours, an outer minute track and moon hands. The case is engine turned on the back, reeded bezels and band, a slide for music/silence, a slide under the bezel to stop the striking train, case maker’s mark FO for Frères Oltramare.
Case numbered.
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Diameter: 58 mm
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Weight: 152 g
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Signed: No name
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Piguet & Meylan were both originally from the village of Le Chenit in the Vallée de Joux, Isaac Daniel Piguet (1775-1841) and Philippe Samuel Meylan (1772- 1845) came to Geneva as young men and formed a partnership that lasted from 1811 to 1828. The company specialized in elaborate and beautifully decorated musical watches, including skeleton and automaton watches and mechanical animals. They employed some of the best enamel painters to decorate their watches. The company further are particularly known for their watches made for the Chinese Market. Examples of their work are in many of the world’s foremost collections including the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Musée d’Horlogerie in Le Locle. The firm was established at 45, Rue Jean Jacques Rousseau in Geneva. After their association came to an end both Piguet and Meylan continued for some time to work with their sons.