Swiss gold split center seconds lever with diablotine Circa 1875

Gold open faced keyless pocket watch
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A fine and very rare Swiss 18 carat gold open faced two train keyless lever pocket watch with flyback independent split center seconds and ¼th second diablotine made by Julien Mathey in Le Locle, circa 1875. The rhodium plated movement with Geneva striping decoration, a counterpoised straight line lever escapement, double train with differential winding, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring and an index regulator. A hinged gold cuvette with an engine turned border.

White enamel dial with narrow Roman hour numerals, an outer minute track with Arabic five minute numerals, outermost seconds divisions divided into quarters, a subsidiary quarter second diablotine at 6 o’clock and original, blued steel hands. A massive case with ribbed bezels and a hinged, engine turned back, a button in the band at 10 o’clock for the start/stop function of the independent center seconds, at 11 for the split seconds, both the seconds hands and the diablotine can be stopped by depressing the crown. Dial, case and movement signed, case numbered.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: Julien Mathey Locle
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Reference No. 58331.
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This piece is unusual in that the independent center seconds can be started and stopped independently of the diablotine by means of the button at ten o’clock.
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The feature known as a diablotine is a small subsidiary dial on a chronograph or independent center seconds pocket watch, the hand of which moves in a jumping manner at intervals of 1/4 or 1/5th of a second. The term literally means ‘little devil’. The diablotine is halted when the chronograph or center seconds is stopped and the fractions of a second can be read.