Impressive French gold repeating chronograph Circa 1863

Gold split seconds chronograph
–
An impressive French 18 carat gold open faced minute repeating split seconds chronograph pocket watch made by Athanase-Elysée Bourdin in Paris, circa 1863.
The bridge movement with two hammers and two gongs, tandem winding with mirror polished catches on top, a piston tooth lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance and free swinging, blued, cylindrical balance spring. White enamel dial with black Roman hours, outer minute divisions, outermost red Arabic five minute numerals and spade hands. The engine turned case with, on the back, a double headed eagle in relief made of onyx, a push piece in the pendant with a faceted smoky topaz and the cuvette with an all round engraving of various world cities and their latitudes. Case numbered, cuvette signed and numbered.
–
Diameter: 52 mm
–
Weight: 145 g
–
Signed: Bourdin à Paris Invenit et Fecit 1863
–
Athanase-Elysée Bourdin was born on January 28th, 1811, in Crécy-sur-Serre in the Aisne department. From 1840 to around 1865, he was based at 24 and 28 Rue de la Paix in Paris as a watchmaker.
–
Bourdin invented a new compensation pendulum, which was presented to the “Société D’Encouragement Pour L’Industrie Nationale” by Achille Hubert Benoit in May 1850. He became a “Horloger du Roy” and received medals at various exhibitions in Paris.
–
The engravings on his carriage clocks were often executed by the famous engraver Charles Demengeot.
–
Athanase-Elysée died on March 22nd, 1894 at the age of 83 in Orléans in the Loiret department.