Swiss lever with visible music box and movement Circa 1987

Gold-plated musical watch with skeletonized movement by Reuge
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A fine Swiss gold-plated open faced keyless lever pocket watch with a visible built-in music box and a visible skeletonized movement, circa 1985-1990. Gilt-brass movement with a musical train including a pinned cylinder and 17 teeth, a hand-tuned comb and start/stop button on the back cover, a skeletonized gilt-brass keyless watch movement, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, shock absorber. Off-white enamel dial with Clous de Paris decoration, Roman numerals on a plain reserve, the centre with an aperture to view the movement, an aperture below 6 o’clock to view the music box and original black Breguet hands. A massive, polished case with stepped bezel, the back with engine-turned decoration and a glazed aperture to view the movement, a winding and activation button for the music. Dial signed. Accompanied by a fitted presentation box.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: Charles Reuge Swiss made
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Clous de Paris means ‘nails of Paris’ and was once referred to in English as ‘a hobnail pattern’. This decorative technique has been used since the 18th century to enhance the appearance of metal parts, especially in watch dials and rotors. It is a process carried out by hand using a burin or by engine turning resulting in a series of finely engraved intersecting lines which form a characteristic Clous de Paris pattern or in some cases a more complex guilloché motif.
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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.