Swiss gold repeating lever for the Hispanic market Circa 1880

Gold richly decorated minute repeater by Montandon
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A very fine Swiss 18 carat gold hunting cased minute repeating keyless lever pocket watch made for the Hispanic market, circa 1880. Fabricado Espresamente para Francisco Varquez, 3a Calle de San Francisco N8, Mexico, No. 19627. Rhodium plated movement, fausses côtes decoration, 31 jewels, wolf’s tooth winding, gold wheel train, counterpoised straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band. Gold hinged cuvette with engraved dedication. Silver and gold dial with painted Roman numerals, subsidiary seconds, outer minute divisions, engraved and applied with a cast gold floral decoration and original blued steel Breguet hands. Case with floral, foliate and geometric chased decoration with blank cartouche to the front. Case, cuvette and movement signed.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Signed: Chs. Ad. Montandon Locle
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The Montandon firm, based in the Neuchâtel region, often produced watches for the Hispanic market, including South America. They made very high quality watches, with excellent movements featuring many complications and often with richly decorated, engraved cases.