Swiss centre seconds musical automaton lever Circa 1985

Gold-plated musical watch with alarm by Reuge
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A fine Swiss gold-plated open faced musical centre seconds keyless lever pocket watch with automaton and alarm, made in the 1980s. Matte gilt movement, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, flat balance spring, shock absorber, index regulator. Solid cuvette with an aperture for winding the music and a button for activating the music. Small white enamel dial with painted Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions and original gilt Breguet hands, a painted view of the Venetian lagoon with an applied gilt metal automaton of a lady being serenaded in a gondola, the musician moving his arm, the gondolier rowing the gondola, a moving boat in the background, gilt metal flowers and foliage in the foreground. Polished bezel, reeded band, the hinged case back engraved with a musical trophy on a sunray background, alarm setting button at 11 o’clock. Dial and cuvette signed. Accompanied by a fitted box and key.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Reuge à Sainte-Croix
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The origins of Reuge date back to 1865 when Charles Reuge set up a musical pocket watch shop in the Swiss Mountain town of Sainte-Croix. By 1886 his son, Albert Reuge opened a music box workshop, the company experienced success and their mechanisms were to be found in a range of products such as powder compacts and cigarette lighters. By 1930 Guido Reuge had built the Reuge factory and he guided the company for over 60 years. Today Reuge retains its historical elements still producing singing birds but moving with the times, their music boxes today come in traditional but also modern and innovative designs.