French gold complicated repeating chronograph watch Circa 1880

Gold hunting cased calendar chronograph watch
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An exceptional French gold, hunting cased, keyless, minute repeating, annual calendar, chronograph watch with moon phases, made by René Claude Ligeron, circa 1880. This watch features an 18 carat yellow gold case engraved with LIGERON, horloger de la Marine. It has a white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, a central seconds hand for the chronograph, gold spade hands, and four subsidiary dials: an annual calendar at 12 o’clock, a seconds display with a moon phase aperture at 6 o’clock, a weekday counter at 9 o’clock, and a date counter at 3 o’clock. The watch includes a handwound mechanical lever movement with striking functions for hours, quarters, and minutes. The movement is exceptional, with a working stone hammer.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Weight: 147.5 g
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Signed: Ligeron
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René Claude Ligeron, born on 10 August 1855 in Lormes, Nièvre, was a French jeweller, goldsmith, and watchmaker. Son of jeweller Jean Ligeron and Jeanne Chapuis, he married three times: first to florist Marguerite Paillard, with whom he had three children; then to Maria Malatrat, who died six months later; and finally to Marie Berthin. Based in Paris at various addresses, his business, Tempo-Ligeron, was renowned for high quality jewellery and watches, earning the title Horloger de la Marine around 1900. He patented a device for transferring time onto hour dials in 1911. The company operated until 2022 under brands like Pierre Lannier and Tissot. René died on 21 January 1946 at age 90. His uncle Jean Ligeron (1836-1873) was also a watchmaker.