Rare Swiss silver eight day lever with visible balance Circa 1920

Silver eight day going pocket watch
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A Swiss silver open faced eight day lever pocket watch with visible balance, circa 1920. The Hebdomas keyless eight day going movement with a club foot lever escapement and an uncut bimetallic balance with overcoil hairspring, the large mainspring barrel covering the back of the watch is marked 8 Jours Ancre – Interchangeable – Spiral Breguet Levees Visible – Swiss Made. Pink enamel dial with off center, white enamel, time indication featuring radial Roman hour numerals in translucent blue enamelled cartouches, outer minute dots and gilt spade hands, silver and gold decoration on either side, a gilt, finely engraved bridge below over a polished steel regulator and visible balance. A decoratively engraved case. Dial signed Hebdomas Patent 8 Days Swiss made.
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Diameter: 44 mm
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Signed: No name
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The name Hebdomas is derived from the Ancient Greek word for week/the seventh day. It refers to the watch’s ability to run for at least a week on a single winding.

A Hebdomas pocket watch is a timepiece known for its eight day, hand wound movement, off center time indication and a visible balance wheel mounted to a dial side bridge, a feature that makes Hebdomas watches instantly recognizable, and is typically gilded and engraved with a decorative floral motif. A massive mainspring barrel covers the entire diameter of the movement, rotating around the center similar to an automatic rotor.

Most Hebdomas watches feature the name centered in the dial and 8 Jours engraved on either side of the balance. Mostly also featuring a flower or arrow design above.