Swiss rose gold square selfwinding pocket watch Circa 1885

Rose gold square lever watch
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A fine, very rare Swiss 14 carat rose gold open faced square selfwinding lever pocket watch, circa 1885. Rhodium plated movement, 15 jewels, lateral counterpoised lever escapement, notched bimetallic compensation balance with flat Breguet balance spring, jeweled T shaped oscillating weight with cork clad steel banking pins, index regulator. White enamel dial with Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds at 10, power reserve scale at 2 and original blued steel spade hands. Case entirely engraved with scrolls and flowers, the interior of the back cover with an aperture for a photograph. Gold hinged cuvette with engine turned border. Dial and case signed, cuvette inscribed Remontoir Automatique.
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Dimensions:. 45 x 45 mm
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Signed: Loehr Patent
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This is an extremely rare gold example of the Loehr Patent selfwinding watch that is almost always found in a silver case. On April 12, 1878 August von Loehr of Vienna filed for a British patent for a self winding watch with a special simple overwinding prevention system and a special setting mechanism. On July 13, 1878, he filed for a USA patent, which was granted on January 7, 1879 (No. 211280). Before Loehr’s invention, selfwinding watches required an elaborate disengaging system when fully wound. Loehr overcame this problem in a very simple way by employing an elastic ratchet pawl.