Swiss gold watch with floral champlevé decor Circa 1820

Marvelous very thin gold enamel pocket watch
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A rare, thin gold enamel pocket watch with floral champlevé enamel decor and turnable case, called “Cabriolet”, circa 1820.
Wearable as a lepine or as hunting cased watch with quarter repeater by withdrawing and turning the pendant.

Gold case on the back side with family crest and motto: “PRO DEO ET REGE PRO PATRIA ET LEGE” ( For God and King, for country and law ).
Central Champlevé enamel, gold dial, movement: “Lepine” caliber, keywind, 2 hammers, 2 gongs, ruby cylinder escapement, three-arm balance.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Weight: 66 g
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Signed: Jean-Francois Bautte & Cie à Genève
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Jean-Francois Bautte (1772-1837) lost his parents very early and began his apprenticeship at the age of 12, he learned the crafts of case making, engine-turning, watchmaking and also that of a jeweller. From 1779 on Bautte worked with the case maker Moulinié, and the watchmaker Moynier joined the company around 1804. The company called itself “Moulinié, Bautte & Moynier” from then on. At the time Bautte was the most renowned purveyor of watches in Geneva. The perfect workmanship which used only the finest gold and enamel in marvellous colours impressed the customers enormously, such quality was usually only to be found in Paris or London.