Swiss gold-plated musical centre seconds automaton Circa 1980

Gold-plated lever with centre seconds and alarm
–
A fine Swiss gold-plated open faced musical centre seconds keyless lever pocket watch with automaton and alarm, The Gondoliers, circa 1980. A polished bezel, reeded band, the hinged back cover engraved with a musical trophy against a sunray background, a button to set the alarm at 11 o’clock. Solid cuvette with an aperture for winding the music and a button for activating the music.
–
Small white enamel dial with painted Arabic hours, outer minute divisions, a polychrome painted view of the Venetian lagoon with an applied gilt metal automaton of a lady being serenaded in a gondola, the musician moving his arm, the gondolier rowing the gondola, a moving boat in the background, gilt metal flowers and foliage in the foreground, gilt Breguet hands. Matte gilt movement, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance, flat balance spring, shock absorber, index regulator. Dial and cuvette signed.
–
Diameter: 57 mm
–
Signed: Charles Reuge Sainte-Croix
–
The origins of Reuge date back to 1865 when Charles Reuge set up a musical pocket watch shop in the Swiss Mountain town of Sainte-Croix. By 1886 his son, Albert Reuge opened a music box workshop, the company experienced success and their mechanisms were to be found in a range of products such as powder compacts and cigarette lighters. By 1930 Guido Reuge had built the Reuge factory and he guided the company for over 60 years. Today Reuge retains its historical elements still producing singing birds but moving with the times, their music boxes today come in traditional but also modern and innovative designs.