Small Swiss pair of silver centre seconds lever watches Circa 1890

Silver lever watches, made for the Chinese market by Léo Juvet
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A very fine Swiss pair of small silver open faced centre seconds lever pocket watches made for the Chinese market, circa 1890.
Both watches have a round-shaped silver polished case. An enamel dial with Roman radial hours, outer minutes/seconds track with Arabic fifteen minutes/seconds numerals, centre-seconds, and spade hands. And a gilded brass, key-winding, movement, engraved Chinese-style, with going barrel, lateral equilibrated lever escapement, compensated balance, and blued steel flat hairspring. The dials, cases and movements are signed; Juvet, in Chinese characters. And comes with the original morocco fitted case, keys, spare mainsprings, and cuvette crystals.
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Diameter: 40 mm
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Signed: Léo Juvet Shanghai
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Léo Juvet-Bourgeois, Swiss watch manufacturer and retailer
Léo Juvet was a son of Edouard Juvet and Zélie Roulet and was born on June 1, 1848 in Fleurier. He was the brother of Ami-Louis Juvet, who probably died quite young. After Ami-Loui’s death, Léo travelled to China to take his place there. In Shanghai, only the Bovets could compete with the Juvets; however, the two families maintained friendly relations. The House of Juvet prospered and opened branches in Tien-Tsin and Saigon, so much so that Léo remarked in 1872: “our watches sell like salt”. In 1873, Edouard Juvet registered a trademark in Chinese characters for the company’s products. In November of 1875he delegated power of attorney to his son Léo; after Edouard’s death in February 1883, Léo succeeded him as head of the company. Léo Juvet married Sophie-Rosine Zurn on December 14, 1877, in Fleurier. She was the daughter of watchmaker Charles François Zurn and Pauline Piaget. Pauline Piaget came from the Piaget family of watchmakers. No children were listed from this marriage of Léo to Sophie-Rosine.
Léo Juvet died on January 11, 1891, at only 42.