Swiss gold-plated musical keyless lever pocket watch Circa 1990

Gold-plated automaton with centre seconds
–
A fine Swiss gold-plated open faced centre seconds musical keyless lever pocket watch with automaton, circa 1990. Accompanied by a pocket watch stand.
Plain case with a hinged back, polished bezel, reeded band and a musical button at 11 o’clock. The cuvette with an aperture for winding to activate the music.
A small silver dial with painted Roman hours, outer minute divisions and gilt Breguet hands, the polychrome painted view of a country landscape with an applied gilt metal automaton of a lady operating a water pump with moving water, a gentleman on horseback with a hawk on his moving arm and the horse with an animated head drinking from the fountain, gilt metal foliage with two dogs and a basket in the foreground.
Matte gilt movement with 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, flat balance spring, shock absorber and an index regulator. Dial and case signed.
–
Diameter: 57 mm
–
Signed: Charles Reuge musical automation – Charles Reuge Sainte Croix Switzerland
–
The origins of Reuge date back to 1865 when Charles Reuge set up a musical pocket watch shop in the Swiss Mountain town of Sainte-Croix. By 1886 his son, Albert Reuge opened a music box workshop, the company experienced success and their mechanisms were to be found in a range of products such as powder compacts and cigarette lighters. By 1930 Guido Reuge had built the Reuge factory and he guided the company for over 60 years. Today Reuge retains its historical elements still producing singing birds but moving with the times, their music boxes today come in traditional but also modern and innovative designs.
–
Based in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, with more than 155 years of expertise, Reuge S.A. is positioned as the world’s leading producer of music automatons that are technically, acoustically and aesthetically superlative. Combining the motion of an automaton with an exquisite sonority offers an unparalleled experience of the senses and to trigger this emotion is the brand’s quest. Forward-thinking and innovation define Reuge S.A. just as much as its respect for traditional craftsmanship.