French 18K yellow gold open faced pocket watch Circa 1880

Gold open faced key winding watch
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A fine French 18 carat yellow gold open faced pocket watch made by A. Fournier in Saint-Amand, circa 1880. It has a mechanical key winding movement with a cylinder escapement, wound and set through two apertures in the inner protective cuvette. The white enamel dial shows black Roman numerals for the hours, an outer minute track with Arabic five minute numerals from 5 to 60, and gilded Louis XV style hands, signed A. Fournier à Saint-Amand.
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The timepiece is housed in a round three body 18 carat solid yellow gold open faced case. It features a finely guilloché reverse back cover decorated with a floral and foliage scroll border surrounding a central shield cartouche with engraved initials, a smooth caseband, a sturdy suspension bow, and an engine turned gilt inner cuvette signed A. Fournier à Saint-Amand. The watch is accompanied by a metal winding key.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Weight: 60 g
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Signed: A. Fournier à Saint-Amand
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A. Fournier was a 19th century French provincial watchmaker (horloger bijoutier) located in Saint Amand. Rather than mass manufacturing movements, regional horologists like Fournier sourced high quality ebauches and gold cases, typically from leading Swiss or French Jura workshops. They then customized, hand finished, signed, and sold them under their own name to local clientele.