Important Swiss 18K gold astronomical clock watch Circa 1895

Gold complicated lever watch
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An important Swiss 18 carat gold hunting cased trip minute repeating keyless astronomical clock watch made by Louis Elisée Piguet in Le Brassus, circa 1895. Sold to La Esmeralda in Mexico. With grande and petite sonnerie, phases of the moon, a perpetual calendar and chronograph. Comes with a Neuchâtel Bulletin d’Observatoire. A solid and polished plain case, the cuvette engraved with technical details of the watch. White enamel dial with Roman hour numerals, an outer minute track, outermost fifth of a second divisions with five minute numerals, four subsidiary dials for the months of the year, days of the week, date and auxiliary seconds, decorative gold hands.
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A rhodium plated movement with Mairet tandem winding system, 35 jewels, calibrated straight line lever escapement and cut bimetallic compensation balance with a blued steel Breguet balance spring, striking and repeating on gongs at the minutes or at will activated by a trip slide in the band, silence/petite sonnerie/grande sonnerie protruding from under the bezel, the repeater is activated by a small push button at 7 o’clock on the band. Dial signed by the retailer, cuvette numbered and signed by the retailer, movement numbered by the watchmaker.
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Diameter: 58 mm
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Signed: Louis Elisée Piguet  Le Brassus
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Louis Elisée Piguet
Louis Elisée Piguet (1836-1924) from Le Brassus made several exceptional timepieces, such as a grande sonnerie with seven hammers. Some of the most complicated watches sold in Glashütte employed L.E. Piguet movements, while firms such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron & Constantin and Breguet employed his movements on occasion. He improved chronographs, invented the fixed star repeating mechanism and improved the keyless winding system.
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When Ami LeCoultre received a commission to build the so called “Merveilleuse”, a watch with 24 functions and complications, he chose Louis-Elisée Piguet as his partner. One of the most talented watchmakers of the end of the 19th century, he was respected by his peers and served on a number of horological committees. His company, later renamed Frédéric Piguet SA, has survived and continues the tradition of making high quality complicated timepieces.
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La Esmeralda/Hauser Zivy & Cie.
Hauser Zivy & Cie. was founded by Mr Hauser and Mr Zivy, owners of La Esmeralda, the most important jewellers in Mexico City during the second half of the 19th century. Besides fine watches, the firm was also selling jewellery, musical boxes and works of art. In addition, they were the agents of the silversmith Christofle and the glass manufacturer Baccarat. The building housing “La Esmeralda” at Calle de Francisco I. Madero is still today a historical landmark and considered one of Mexico City’s finest examples of illustrating the influence of European architects at the turn of the 19th century.