French 18 carat yellow gold open faced pocket watch Circa 1900

Gold pocket watch with chased and engraved case
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A French 18 carat yellow gold open faced pocket watch made by Savoye Frères & Cie, circa late 19th to early 20th century. This watch features a signed mechanical movement with pendant winding, lever escapement, Breguet balance spring, and compensated bimetallic balance. The white enamel dial displays Roman numerals for the hours, Arabic five minute divisions, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock, and Fuseaux hands. The 18 carat gold case has a back decorated with chased and engraved foliate scrolls.
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Diameter: 49 mm.
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Weight: 88.5 g
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Signed: Savoye Frères & Cie.
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Savoye Frères & Cie.
The company Savoye Frères & Cie., established in Besançon in 1794 by François Louis Malanjoye dit Savoye (1774-1854) and Charles Aimé Malanjoye dit Savoye (1775-1869), was later managed by Aimé Louis Malanjoye dit Savoye (1800-1857). Circa 1850, Charles Eugène Savoye (1826-1910) joined as a partner, followed shortly after by his brother Eugène Louis Savoye (1830-1901).
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Architect Gustave Vieille designed a new building for the Savoye family, completed in 1864 at Îlot – square Saint-Amour 7. Around 1867, the Savoye Frères watch factory moved from 1867 Grande-Rue into this building. By 1875, the company merged with the watchmaker Graa. In 1880, the general partnership Les Successeurs de Savoye frères et Cie was established, later becoming Graa, Dufour et Neyret, and in 1895, Les Successeurs de Savoye frères et Cie, Neyret Frères.
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This building at Saint-Amour 7 remains historically significant, housing renowned companies such as Neyret Frères successeurs Savoye Frères & Cie., Maison Louis Leroy, and Zenith. It also became the site of the most complex watch of the time, now exhibited at the Besançon Watch Museum. It is now listed as a historic monument.
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Savoye Frères & Cie. maintained an office in Paris from 1840, initially at 19 Rue de Grenelle St-Honoré and later at 6 Boulevard de Sébastopol.
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The company was awarded a bronze medal at the 1867 Universal Exhibition in Paris.