French gold open faced pocket chronograph watch Circa 1930

Gold open faced keyless lever watch with chronograph
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A fine French 18 carat yellow gold open faced keyless lever pocket watch with a single pusher chronograph made by LIP, circa 1930. It has a high grade mechanical crown winding column wheel movement with a lever escapement, signed LIP. The white enamel dial features black Arabic numerals for the hours, an inner 24 hour red presentation track, a multi scale outer tachymeter ring inscribed Kilomètres à l’Heure, a subsidiary 30 minute chronograph register dial at 12 o’clock, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock, and a long blued steel central chronograph seconds hand paired with gold tone spade hands, signed LIP.
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The timepiece is housed in a smooth round double body 18 carat solid yellow gold open faced case with a plain polished reverse back cover showing light wear marks, a fluted winding crown integrated with a single monopusher chronograph button at 12 o’clock, and a sturdy round suspension bow. The movement is fitted beneath its mineral glass crystal and dual protective interior layers, sequentially numbered.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Weight: 88 g
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Signed: LIP
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The LIP manufacture, operating out of Besançon, was the premier force in French watchmaking during the 19th and 20th centuries. This rare model showcases their specialized racing and telemetry heritage, featuring a dual register dial layout framed by a vivid multi coloured tachymeter track designed to calculate speed over a measured kilometre instantly. Powered by a highly accurate column wheel chronograph movement, the system is consolidated into a sleek single button configuration where starting, stopping, and resetting the sweep hand is handled entirely through the central monopusher built into the winding crown.