Indian 18 carat gold rare splendour hunter cased watch Circa 1880

Watch with perpetual retrograde calendar and minute repeater
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A extremely rare splendour full hunter cased watch with perpetual retrograde calendar and minute repeater, made by Hamilton & Co in Calcuttaca. India, circa 1880. The numbered `a goutte case of this watch was crafted from 18 carat gold and has magnificent floral engraving which is a typical case decoration for the Indian market. The white enamel dial has Roman hour numerals, dials for the month at 4 o’clock, the day of the week at 6 o’clock, the seconds at 8 o’clock , the phase of the moon at 12 o’clock below which there is an indicator for the day of the month and blued steel hands. The glazed movement has a very fine precision lever escapement, a minute repeater, a perpetual calendar with rare retrograde date indication.
The movement is signed.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Weight: 177 g
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Signed: Hamilton & Co. Calcutta, Bombay & Shimla
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The watch presented here is an impressive splendour hunter case watch with very rare combination of complications. It is the only known example with a retrograde date in combination with the other complications. The movement is a Swiss top caliber according to the patent of Marius LeCoultre.
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Hamilton & Co.
The company Hamilton & Co. was founded in 1808 in Calcutta by the British silversmith Robert Hamilton (1772-1848) under license from the East Indian Company. Robert Hamilton soon became very wealthy and was a respected man. He opened shops in other parts of India (Bombay and Shimla) and became India’s most famous and renowned British jeweller and silversmith, synonymous with style, class and quality. His business continued until 1973.