Czech 18K gold hunting cased lever pocket watch Circa 1900

Gold decorative full hunter by Louis Hainz
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A Czech 18 carat gold hunting cased pocket watch, circa 1900. The movement with a lever escapement. White enamel dial with Arabic hour numerals, outer minute divisions, sunk subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and gold hands. The case is decoratively floral engraved on both sides. Dial signed, case and movement with a matching number.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Weight: 89.5 g
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Signed: L. Hainz Prague
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L. Hainz is a family business founded in 1836 by Ludvík (Louis) Hainz, a watchmaker from Prague in the Czech Republic. The company has been responsible for renovating and maintaining roughly 80 clocks in the city, including those in St. Vitus Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church, Klementinum and the Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square. Hainz also produced and repaired over 300 antique clocks for town halls, churches and monuments around Europe using 19th century techniques.

During the Austro-Hungarian Empire and until World War II, the company was considered the leading maker of chronometers and watches in Prague. The business was later confiscated by the communist regime, which also incarcerated some members of the family. It was returned to the heirs of the original owners in the 1990s. L. Hainz is still active today and is now run by the fifth person named Ludvík Hainz.