Danish/Swiss 18K gold open faced triple calendar watch Circa 1920

Yellow gold calendar watch by Henri Robert Ekegrèn
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A Danish/ Swiss 18 carat yellow gold open faced triple calendar watch, retailed by J.E. Caldwell & Co. Philadelphia, circa 1920. The watch features a 17″Ligne movement with 19 jewels and a lever escapement. It has a silvered dial with applied Breguet numerals, apertures for the day, date, and month, outer minute markers, and Breguet style hands. The polished 18k yellow gold case includes a cuvette and a hinged case back. The case, dial, and movement are signed by the maker, with the cuvette also signed by the maker and retailer. It comes with a fitted suede pouch.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Signed: H.R. Ekegren Geneva
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The case is in good condition, showing surface scuffing and wear typical for its age. There are minor nicks and scratches on the bow, and the case back has surface scratches throughout. A patina is present across the case. The dial is in good condition with surface marks throughout and small scratches near the centre arbour, along with wear around the outer perimeter. The applied indexes have developed a patina, and there is some light dust present. The calendar functions advance through the pushers on the case band, and the movement is operational.
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Henri Robert Ekegrèn, a renowned Danish watchmaker, was born in Copenhagen in 1823 to watchmaker Daniel Ekegrèn. Throughout his career, he worked with notable figures such as Jules-Frédéric Jürgensen, Henri Golay, Joseph Thaddeus Winnerl, and Adolph Lange before establishing his own business in Geneva. In 1857, he cofounded Ekegren & Westermann with Ferdinand Westermann.
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After Westermann’s departure in 1862, the company was renamed H.R. Ekegren. Ekegrèn gained recognition by winning multiple gold medals at world exhibitions and consistently excelling in Geneva’s chronometer competitions. His timepieces were considered among the finest in Geneva.
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In 1891, Ekegrèn sold his business to E. Koehn but continued to contribute to the company until his passing in 1896 at the age of 72. In his honour, Koehn marked the best watches with H.R. Ekegren. The company also supplied watches to prestigious firms like Tiffany & Co.
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Ekegrèn was highly esteemed for his sophisticated craftsmanship and held a patent for a horological oil presented in 1874. In 1888, the Art Society of Geneva deemed it the best oil produced to date. He served as the watchmaker to the King of Denmark and earned gold medals at the Universal Exhibitions in Paris (1867), Vienna (1873), Philadelphia (1876), and Paris again (1878).
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The company was located in Geneva at the Grand Quai, now Quai Général-Guisan 26, near Patek Philippe. The site has since housed various businesses, including Bucherer, Holland America Line, Natural Le Coultre, Universal Genève, and currently, a Chanel store. Nearby are Patek Philippe and the former Hotel de Paris, now Hermès.
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J.E. Caldwell & Co., an American watchmaking company, was prominent in Philadelphia around 1910. The firm sourced its pieces from renowned manufacturers such as Manufacture Drocourt, Henri Robert Ekegrèn, and Elliott & Son.