Danish 18k rose gold five-minute repeating lever Circa 1880

Rose gold five- minute repeater by Henri-Robert Ekegrén
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A fine and unusual Danish 18 carat rose gold half open-faced five-minute repeating keyless lever pocket watch made for J. E. Caldwell & Co, Philadelphia, circa 1880. Rhodium-plated, Geneva striping decoration, 25 jewels, counterpoised straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, patented swan-neck micrometer regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band. Gold hinged cuvette. White enamel dial with dauphine numerals, outer minute divisions, gold-painted Arabic five-minute numerals, subsidiary seconds dial with gold-painted Arabic numerals, and original black spade hands. Polished case. Dial and cuvette signed.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Signed: H.R. Ekegrén Copenhagen
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Henri-Robert Ekegrén (1823-1896) the son of Daniel Ekegrén, a Swedish watchmaker, worked for Jules Jürgensen in Le Locle, Winnerl in Paris, and Henri Golay in Geneva, where he arrived in 1847. In 1857 he formed a partnership with Ferdinand Westermann. At the 1867 Exhibition, he displayed thirty-six watches, winning a gold medal. Subsequent exhibitions – Vienna in 1873, Paris in 1875, Philadelphia in 1876, Paris again in 1878, and Zurich in 1883 – brought him and his collaborator, Louis Chevalier, further honors and recognition.