Unique Swiss 18K gold and enamel lever watch Circa 1887

Gold and enamel open faced lever by Edouard Koehn
–
A very fine and unique Swiss 18 carat gold and enamel open faced lever pocket watch, circa 1887. Glazed movement, lever escapement. White enamel Louis XV dial with Roman hours and Arabic five minutes, rose gold Louis XV hands. The case is completely enamelled, on the back a polychrome enamel scene in Watteau-style, depicting a pair of lovers under a tree, mountain scenery in the background, case maker’s mark AE.
Case numbered, movement signed and numbered, case and movement with matching numbers.
–
This piece is almost identical to the Patek Philippe enamel watches No. 76344 and No. 84141. The unusual construction of the cases, the dials and the enamel paintings are very similar in all three watches. They also have numbers close together. All movements have silver movement holders, can be completely removed from the case and are not hinged. It can be strongly assumed, that the same case maker made the two Patek Philippe watches as well as the present Koehn watch. The fact that Eduard Koehn was the director at Patek Philippe at the time of the production of these three watches also speaks for this.
–
Eduard Koehn, 1839-1908, started as a simple watchmaker at Patek Philippe. Later he became the director and even partner. He was born in Germany and studied at the watchmaking school in Geneva. In 1891 Eduard Koehn bought the company H.R. Ekegren. The quality awareness he got during his many years at Patek Philippe was later reflected in his own products, which he designed and manufactured.
–
Diameter: 27.5 mm
–
Weight: 24 g
–
Signed: E. Koehn Genève
–
Watteau style.
Reminiscent of the works of the French painter Jean-Antoine Watteau (1684–1721), who revitalized the waning baroque style and painted scenes of bucolic and idyllic charm, suffused with a theatrical air.