French 18K yellow gold open faced pocket watch Circa 1920

Gold open faced keyless lever watch
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A fine French 18 carat yellow gold open faced keyless lever pocket watch made by Zenith in Besançon, circa 1920. It has a high grade mechanical crown winding movement with a Swiss lever escapement, signed Zenith, featuring a Besançon hallmark on the plate and a prestigious double viper hallmark (double vipère) stamped under the compensation balance wheel. The smooth gold dial features applied gold Arabic numerals for the hours, a fine outer minute track of dots, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock, and sleek blued steel hands, signed Zenith. 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, a fluted winding crown, a sturdy round suspension bow, and a solid 18 carat gold inner protective cuvette matching the case interior.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Weight: 84.4 g
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Signed: Zenith
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The prestigious Swiss house of Zenith established a specialised workshop in Besançon, the historic heart of French clockmaking, to build top tier calibres adjusted for rigorous precision timing contests. Movements produced here that passed the demanding observatory trials were stamped with the highly coveted double vipère (double viper) hallmark by the Besançon Astronomical Observatory, serving as an elite official certification of chronometric mastery. This model merges technical precision with refined early 20th century design, enclosing its chronometer grade engine inside a minimalist, smooth solid gold case crafted for the discerning French luxury market.