Swiss cylinder watch made for the Eastern market Circa 1840

Gold and enamel quarter repeater
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A very fine, rare and thin Swiss 18 carat gold and enamel open faced quarter repeating pocket watch made for the Eastern market, circa 1840. Matte gilt movement, 8 jewels, English-type ruby cylinder escapement, plain three-arm balance, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator, repeating on gongs with two polished steel hammers activated by a pull-and-twist piston in the pendant. Gold hinged cuvette with technical details in champlevé enamel, apertures for winding and hand-setting. Silver dial with black Roman numerals on a moire chapter ring, outer minute divisions, the centre engraved with a harbour view within a scroll border and original gold Breguet hands. The case back decorated with a painted on enamel musical and floral trophy on a pale blue ground, serpentine translucent red enamel border, outer green and red enamel reserve with gold foliage and six circular flower roundels, bezel with eccentric glazed aperture and decorated to match, shell and flower band. The reverse of the dial punched DX & F.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Signed: No name
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This watch uses what is known as the ‘English-type’ ruby cylinder. To reduce the friction, the English makers, who were very skilled in the art of jeweling, made the cylinder half-section ruby. The ruby was fitted into a steel frame, this form of cylinder escapement was first used by Breguet, who brought the idea to France, it is distinct from the more familiar ‘overhanging’ ruby cylinder.