Austrian gold hunting cased repeating ladies’ watch Circa 1900

Gold minute repeater
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An exquisite and extremely rare Austrian 18 carat gold hunting cased minute repeating ladies’ pocket watch made by important chronometer maker Josef Nicolaus from Vienna, circa 1900. Polished case. Cuvette signed J. Nicolaus I. Kohlmarkt 1 Wien.  White enamel dial with radial Roman hours, an outer minute track, Arabic five minute numerals, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and rose gold spade hands. Precision lever movement of excellent quality, repeating the minutes.
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Diameter: 38 mm
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Weight: 54 g
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Signed: J.Nicolaus Wien
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Josef Nicolaus, Austrian watchmaker
Watchmaker Josef Nicolaus from Vienna was born in Senftenberg (Bohemia) in 1855 and learned the watchmaking trade there. After further years of apprenticeship in Geneva, he went to Vienna in 1885 and became a master in the same year. Nicolaus developed into one of the best Austrian chronometer makers and supplied the K & K Kriegsmarine, among others.
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Rare precision pendulum watches and marine chronometers by his hand are also known. His timepieces are in famous collections and museums, including a pocket chronometer in the Time Museum Rockford and another in the Vienna Watch Museum.
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Precision pocket watches with a minute repeater are extremely rare in this women’s size and far more valuable than in the men’s.