English grande and petite sonnerie clock watch Circa 1905

Grande and petite sonnerie quarter repeating clock watch
–
An English rare and very fine gold keyless lever open faced grande and petite sonnerie quarter repeating clock watch, circa 1905, gilt three quarter plate movement, ratchet tooth lever escapement, jeweled to the center, the back-plate with screw-set jewels, bimetallic compensation balance, decoratively engraved balance cock, diamond endstone, winding in opposite directions for going and striking trains, off-white enamel Willisdial, Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds, blued steel hands, 18k gold plain polished hinged cuvette, 18k gold bassine case, plain polished back, setting levers for strike/silent and grande/petite sonnerie concealed beneath the bezel, olivetted set-hands push, gold pendant and bow, case and cuvette numbered and with case maker’s mark RN for Robert Benson North, movement signed Nicole Nielsen & Co., 14 Soho Square, London.
–
Diameter: 55 mm
–
Signed: Nicole Nielsen & Co. 14 Soho Square London
–
Nicole, Nielsen & Co. signed relatively few watches, however, they were well known in England as important suppliers of movements to such prominent firms as Charles Frodsham, M.F. Dent, and E. J. Dent & Co.

The present lot, like much of the firm’s output, was based on an ebauche imported from Switzerland to England.