Swiss 18K gold hunting cased precision watch Circa 1870

Gold chronometer
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A very fine Swiss 18 carat gold hunting cased precision watch made for the South American market by Henri Grandjean & Cie in Le Locle, circa 1870. The ¾ plate movement with a rocker chronometer escapement, screw compensation balance, and free swinging, blued cylindrical balance spring. White enamel dial with Roman hour numerals, an outer minute track, sunk subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and blued fleur-de-lys hands. The engine turned case with a reeded band, plain bezels, pendant and bow, maker’s mark LBF and a gold cuvette engraved Antonio Herreros. Dial, case and movement signed, and with matching numbers. Comes with an extract from the Andreas Hiddings Chronometer database.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Weight: 124 g
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Signed: Hri Grandjean & Co Locle London
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This piece participated in the category “Pocket Chronometers” of the 1870 Neuchâtel Observatory chronometer competition, taking 6th place out of 128 chronometers. The chronometers were observed for one month in two positions and in the oven. 
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The Swiss chronometer maker Henri Grandjean was born on December 14th, 1803, and died on March 21st in Le Locle. From 1824 to 1830, he was entrusted with organizing the South American branches of his father’s company. His brother Henri Gustave moved to Peru in 1830 to help establish those branches.
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He first apprenticed as a watchmaker in his hometown, and around 1830, he started his firm Henri Grandjean & Cie to manufacture marine chronometers based on the English model. His business partner was Edouard Thévenaz. Together with Louis Jean Richard and Ulysse Nardin, Grandjean was the founder of Swiss marine chronometer production.
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In 1831, Grandjean married Isaac Pierre’s daughter, Elise Montandon.
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Henri requested and received permission to set up watchmaking schools and he founded the Neuchâtel Observatory. Later he worked as a politician, and further was a deputy and prefect of Le Locle. In La Chaux-de-Fonds he made plans to build a Quartier-Neuf, which was realized in 1855 with the aim of curbing real estate speculation and creating affordable housing for working-class families.
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Today a street in Le Locle is named after him, Rue Henri-Grandjean.