Swiss lever with high relief decoration by Hans Erni Circa 1979

Gold hunting cased keyless lever by Patek Philippe
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A very fine and rare Swiss 18-carat gold hunting cased keyless lever pocket watch, circa 1979. Made in a limited edition of 100 pieces to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Lucerne Tir Federal Schuetzenfest in 1979. Retailed by Gubelin. Rhodium-plated movement, stamped twice with the Seal of Geneva quality mark, 18 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, mono-metallic balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and five positions, self-compensating Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometre regulator. Gold snap-on cuvette. White lacquered dial with narrow black Roman numerals, outer minute track and original black Louis XV hands. Case to both sides decorated with special high relief decoration by Hans Erni, the front with the crouching figure of William Tell with a crossbow, the back with an apple pierced by an arrow on the Swiss cross, the border inscribed 50. Eidgenossisches Schutzenfest 1979 Luzern. Dial, case and movement signed. Accompanied by the original box, booklet and Certificate of Origin.
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Diameter: 48 mm
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Signed: Patek Philippe Genève Swiss – Gübelin
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Hans Erni (born 1909) was a Swiss painter and sculptor. Born in Lucerne, he is known for illustrating postage stamps, activism, lithographs for the Swiss Red Cross and participation on the Olympic Committee. The Hans Erni House in the Lucerne Transportation Museum contains a large collection of artwork.
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The Schützenfest (German marksmen’s festival) is a traditional annual event celebrated in the Northwest regions of Germany, Bavaria and Switzerland. It is a kind of fair featuring a shooting match among local marksmen’s association members and usually takes place in summer. At a Schützenfest, contestants prove their shooting ability, for example, by aiming at a wooden eagle. The winner becomes the ‘Schützenkönig’ (king of marksmen) until the following competition.