French high quality silver pocket chronometer Circa 1879

Extremely unusual heavy pocket chronometer
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An extremely rare and very unusual, especially heavy pocket chronometer in English construction, made by Bernard Poitevin in Paris, France, circa 1879. The high quality case of this watch was crafted from silver, has London hallmarks from 1879 and the numbered cuvette is marked “Poitevin Fécit”. The numbered white enamel dial features an outer track with minutes division, Roman hour numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock and extraordinary and very massive gold hands. The movement is fitted with a very fine chronometer escapement in the manner of Earnshaw, a spring detent escapement and an unusual helical hairspring, which is probably made of palladium.
The dial and cuvette share matching numbers and the dial and the movement are signed.
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Diameter: 61 mm
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Weight: 227 g
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Signed: Poitevin Paris
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This chronometer is very interesting because it is signed by an important French chronometer maker in Paris, but the construction is completely English and the case has London hallmarks as well. It can therefore be assumed that the chronometer was made in England on behalf of Poitevin.
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Poitevin
Bernard Poitevin worked as a Parisian watch and chronometer maker between 1850 and 1900. He founded the company B. Poitevin & V. Lejeune. His shop was located in Rue Richelieu (1850) and Rue Vivienne 22 (1860-1900). Poitevin supplied quality watches, watches with complications, such as watches with striking mechanisms, chronographs and 1^st class chronometers with a bulletin from the Geneva Observatory.