Swiss cylinder watch made for the Chinese market Circa 1820

Rose gold quarter repeater attributed to Piguet & Meylan
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A very fine Swiss 18 carat rose gold, enamel and half pearl set open faced quarter repeating cylinder pocket watch with a musical mechanism made for the Chinese market, circa 1820. Bridge movement, key wind, two hammers, two gongs, a cylinder escapement, three arm ring balance, and musical movement with pin disc and vibrating blades. White enamel dial with Roman hours, an outer minute track, Arabic quarter hour numerals and decorative hands. A translucent red enamelled engine turned case back, the band, pendant and bracket are polychrome enamelled in champlevé style and the bezels are set with half pearls on both sides. Case numbered twice.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Weight: 144 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 with mechanical human figures and animals. They employed some of the best enamel painters to decorate their watches. The company further is particularly known for their watches made for the Chinese market. Examples of their work are in many of the world’s foremost collections such as 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 collaboration ended both Piguet and Meylan continued working with their sons for some time.