French rose gold five-minute repeating lever watch Circa 1880

Rose gold open faced repeater by Gustave Sandoz
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A fine and rare French 18 carat rose gold open faced five-minute repeating keyless lever pocket watch, circa 1880. Rhodium-plated movement supplied by LeCoultre & Cie, Geneva striping decoration, 21 jewels, wolf’s tooth winding, counterpoised and calibrated straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold meantime and temperature compensation screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring, the terminal secured by a stud with two screws, index regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band. Gold-hinged cuvette. White enamel dial with Roman numerals, outer minute track and red Arabic five-minute numerals, subsidiary seconds with red numerals and original blued steel spade hands. Polished case, the back engine turned with engraved foliate monogram JFS. Dial and cuvette signed dial plate punched LB & Co for LeCoultre & Cie and Borgeaud & Co.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Signed: Gustave Sandoz Horloger de la Marine Palais Royal 147-148 Paris
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Gustave Sandoz Geneva and Paris. The firm apparently began in Paris and was listed there in 1867, 1870 and 1900. The firm won the Second Prize and Honorable Mention at the Geneva Chronometer Contest in 1882.