Swiss Jacot duplex watch for the Chinese market Circa 1835

Gold and enamel center seconds watch probably by Fleurier
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A very fine Swiss 18 Carat gold and enamel open faced center seconds pocket watch with Jacot duplex escapement made for the Chinese market, circa 1835. Matte gilt Chinese caliber entirely foliate engraved, standing barrel, jewelled Jacot duplex escapement, three armed bi metallic compensation balance with blued steel winged weights, flat balance spring and an index regulator. Hinged gilt rimmed glazed cuvette fixed to the movement ring. White enamel dial with narrow Roman numerals, outer minutes and seconds divisions and original blued steel quatrefoil hands. The bezels, pendant, and bow are decorated with turquoise, red and blue champlevé enamel, the back panel of the case is painted with a fine composition of spring flowers on a turquoise ground.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: No name
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Flowers have great symbolic importance for the Chinese. By their form, aspect and fragrance, they are considered to be highly spiritual, reflecting the profound nature of the Chinese people. Poems and proverbs show the cultural importance of flowers: ‘There is no flower without beauty in the world’, ‘A flower gives us a glimpse of paradise’. Certain flowers have a particular significance. The lotus symbolizes purity, the chrysanthemum perseverance, the plum blossom integrity, etc. The peony, with its generous forms, brilliant colours and heady fragrance, became the most important flower for the Chinese. It is considered to symbolize wealth, nobility, power and happiness. Known as the ‘queen of flowers, the peony symbolizes wealth and distinction. Paintings of flowers are often hung in Chinese homes for good luck and in offices to bring success in business. The deep and rich symbolism the Chinese attached to flowers made them an ideal subject for expensive watches and those destined for exalted patrons, even for the Emperor himself. The symbolism of each flower would have been immediately recognized and appreciated by China’s elite, who would have seen in them a flattering reference to their own wealth and power.