Swiss 18K gold repeating centre seconds watch Circa 1800

Gold quarter repeater by Decombaz
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An extremely rare and early Swiss 18 carat gold open faced quarter repeating centre seconds cylinder Lépine pocket watch, circa 1800. This unique Lépine watch has a movement with a cylinder escapement, a quarter-hour repeater, and a rare centre seconds feature. The case has a plain design with a reeded band, while the white enamel dial displays Arabic hours and minute divisions on the outer rim. The watch features blued steel and gold hands, and the cuvette is inscribed Repassee par Breguet and numbered. The dial is signed, and the case is also numbered and inscribed.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Weight: 142 g
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Signed: Decombaz
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It is a well-known fact that Decombaz collaborated with Breguet and even created movements for Breguet’s watches. However, the serial number of this particular timepiece does not match with any records in Breguet’s archives. Therefore, it is unlikely that this watch was produced by Breguet’s workshops, but it may have been created in a similar environment.
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The combination of a Lépine calibre with a repeater and centre seconds is extremely rare.