Swiss damascened rose gold keyless lever pocket watch Circa 1887

Damascened rose gold repeater by Vacheron & Constantin
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A very fine and extremely rare Swiss 18 carat rose gold and damascened open faced quarter repeating two-train independent jumping centre seconds keyless lever pocket watch, circa 1887. Matte gilt movement, two-train with tandem winding, 29 jewels, a counterpoised and calibrated straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature and meantime adjustment screws, blued steel Breguet balance spring with overcoil and index regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band. A hinged, engine-turned gold cuvette. White enamel dial with Roman hours, an outer minute and seconds track with Arabic five-minute/seconds numerals, gold stone-set hands. A polished case, the back with a finely engraved foliate monogram AC on a damascened and gold repeated pattern ground, a slide on the band for the jumping centre seconds. Cuvette and movement signed, movement numbered.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: Vacheron & Constantin Genève Veuve C. Vacheron & Cie Successeurs
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This watch is an unusually fine and complicated example by Vacheron Constantin/Veuve C. Vacheron & Cie. Veuve C. Vacheron & Cie is the signature the company used between 1870 and 1887. This watch is therefore relatively late in production under the Veuve C. Vacheron & Cie name as it is signed also by Vacheron & Constantin and therefore must date from the transitional period of the two company names.