French quarter repeater with elongated lever arm Circa 1830

Gold pocket watch with rare variation of the lateral lever escapement
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A gentleman’s very rare quarter repeating pocket watch with rare variation of the lateral lever escapement with elongated lever arm, circa 1830.
Gold case, engine turned band, repeating mechanism activated by a pull and twist button in the pendant. Dial is silver, engine turned, inlaid radial Roman numerals, gold Breguet hands. Skeletonized movement, keywind, frosted, gilt, 12 jewels, 2 hammers, 2 gongs, three arm ring balance, large pierced engraved balance cock.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 96 g
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Signed: Père Bouhelier Saint Julien
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Père Bouhelier
The name Bouhelier was very common in the Franche-Comté, where Père Bouhelier was born in the small village of Saint Julien near Charquemont. The area was mainly occupied by farmers but in winter time people produced cylinder escapements for French and Swiss watchmakers. All of the very few watches that are known to have been made by Père Bouhelier are fitted with the same calibre and have the same linear lever escapement type. The design of the calibre itself is unusual and quite simple; it is difficult to determine whether it was behind the times or even technologically ahead of its time. Père Bouhelier was a priest who was forced to leave his country for England during the French Revolution, so one might assume that he taught himself to make lever escapements during his stay in exile.