German gold lever pocket watch in Renaissance style Circa 1899

Gold lever hunting cased watch by A. Lange & Söhne
–
A gold German hunting cased keyless lever watch with decoration after Professor Graff, circa 1899. The watch is equipped with a second-quality, 19”’ cal. 43-gilded movement featuring a lever escapement, 15 jewels, a bimetallic compensation balance, and precision regulation. The movement is signed and numbered by Deutsche Uhrenfabrikation Glashütte, with a glazed cuvette. The white enamel dial includes Arabic numerals, subsidiary seconds, an outer minute ring, and gold filigree hands. It is signed A. Lange & Söhne, Deutsche Uhrenfabrikation, Glashütte. The 14k gold case is intricately decorated in the Louis XV style, chased and engraved on both sides with decoration after Professor Graff. The front is centred with a blank cartouche, and the back is centred with a Roman head in profile. Each of the central cartouches is surrounded by baskets of fruit, a pair of doves above, and a heart beneath. The bezels and chased band are engraved with flowers and foliage, and it is signed A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte.
–
Accompanied by a certificate of origin from the Museum of Glashütte confirming the sale date as July 3rd, 1899, to Paul Thimig of Dresden.
–
Diameter: 53 mm
–
Signed: A Lange & Söhne, Deutsche Uhrenfabrikation, Glashütte
–
The dial displays a few light scratches, but no hairlines are visible. The case decoration remains clear overall, with some light rubbing. The movement is running, and the hand setting adjusts smoothly.
–
The Lucia case was designed by Prof. Graff. When Emil Lange took over the family firm in 1887, he preferred more ornately decorated cases compared to his brother. The demand for luxurious cases had increased during Kaiser Wilhelm’s prosperous reign, leading to more heavily decorated cases, even in smaller timepieces like the one in question.