English gold watch with Bonniksen 52½ minute carrousel Circa 1907

Gold open faced deck watch 
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An English 18 carat gold open faced deck watch with a 52½ minute carrousel made by Birch & Gaydon in London, circa 1907. A polished case with gold cuvette, maker’s punch mark JW for Joseph Walton and a turntable pendant. Signed, off-white enamel dial by Willis with radial Roman hour numerals, an outer minute track, sunk auxiliary seconds at 6 o’clock and gold spade hands. Signed, gilt 4/5 plate movement, an ebauche by Bahne Bonniksen, with screwed chatons, a carrousel with 52½ minutes rotation time, gold screw compensation balance, free sprung blued balance spring and fine florally engraved balance cock. Dial, case and movement with matching numbers.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Weight: 125 g
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Signed: Birch & Gaydon 153 Fenchurch St London Makers to the Admiralty
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Birch & Gaydon was originally established by William Turner around 1760. Turner was a watchmaker working at 18 Cornhill in the City of London. In 1825, the business had moved to 167 Fenchurch Street in London and by 1840, after William Turner’s death, it was owned by watchmaker William Birch. When Henry Martin Gaydon became a partner around 1880, the company started trading under the name of Birch & Gaydon. When Birch retired, Gaydon became its sole owner. The business was at the time described as a chronometer maker, goldsmith and jeweller at 172 Fenchurch Street. When the old premises were demolished in 1904, Birch & Gaydon moved to 153 Fenchurch Street.
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Carrousel
A carrousel is a movement complication similar to a tourbillon. Like the tourbillon, a carrousel continually rotates the balance wheel and escapement to counteract the influence of gravity.
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Ebauche
An unfinished movement sold as such. Until circa 1850, an ebauche comprised only the plate, bridges, fusee and barrel. It was known as a blanc to be finished at the établissage. The modern ebauche is a watch movement with or without jewels but always without its regulating organ, the mainspring, dial and hands. It is also known as a “blanc roulant” (a working movement without its escapement and ready for assembly, rating, adjusting and finishing).
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Établissage
A procedure for manufacturing the watch and/or movement by assembling the various parts. As a general rule, the procedure in full comprises taking delivery of, inspecting and stocking the ebauches, the components for the movement and exterior, assembly, timing, fitting the dial and hands, fitting the movement and the final inspection before packaging and dispatching.