French 18 carat gold quarter repeating lever chronograph Circa 1903

Rose gold quarter repeating chronograph by B. Reboullet
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A French 18 Carat rose gold open faced quarter repeating chronograph lever precision watch, circa 1903. Bridge movement, two hammers, two gongs, gold screwed compensation balance with two movable navette shaped platinum weights, blued helical balance spring. White enamel dial with Roman hours, Arabic minutes and chronograph scale, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock. Plain case, monogram on the back.
Dial signed, movement signed and numbered, case numbered.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Weight: 136 g
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Signed: Ecole Nle d’Horlogerie de Cluses B. Reboullet
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The design of this complex graduation piece contains some interesting features – the most striking of them being the unusual balance, which has only six screws but is fitted with two oval weights in the style of a chronometer balance; the weights are made of platinum. The signature and movement number are concealed under the dial. The 18 carat hallmarked case – in itself unusual for a school watch – made by the Société générale des monteurs de boîtes d’or de Besançon shows that the watchmaker B. Reboullet created himself a truly special souvenir of his apprenticeship. This is verified by the engraving ‘Souvenir d’apprentissage 1903’ on the cuvette. Another known piece Reboullet produced during his time at the Ecole d’Horlogerie Cluses is the demonstration model of a spring detent escapement, also dating from 1903. This exceptional graduation piece is supremely executed, no expense was spared to create a truly unique masterpiece.
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The former royal and later national watch- and clockmaking school was established by King Charles Albert of Sardinia in 1848 to support the economic development in Cluses in the Arve Valley and of course in the whole Duchy of Savoy. The original school was modelled on the school in Geneva, the first director of the Cluses school was French maker Achille Benoit of Paris.