Swiss musical centre seconds automaton with alarm Circa 1985

Gold-plated musical lever automaton by Reuge
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A fine Swiss gold-plated open faced musical centre seconds keyless lever pocket watch with automaton and alarm, The Huntsman’s Rest, circa 1985. The movement with 17 jewels, a straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, flat balance spring, shock absorber and index regulator. Small white enamel dial with Arabic hours, an outer minute track and gilt Breguet hands, a polychrome enamel view of a country landscape with an applied gilt metal automaton of a lady operating a water pump with moving water, a gentleman on horseback with a hawk on his moving arm and the horse with an animated head drinking from the fountain, varicoloured foliage with two dogs and a basket in the foreground. Polished bezel, reeded band, engine-turned hinged case back, an alarm setting button at 11 o’clock. Dial and cuvette signed, movement numbered. Comes with the original fitted presentation box and lyre-form key.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Reuge
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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.