Swiss 14K gold minute repeating chronograph Circa 1900

Gold full hunter repeater
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A fine Swiss 14 carat yellow gold minute repeating keyless pocket watch with chronograph, circa 1900. Repeating on gongs with fly regulator and push piece in the band, Swiss patent 13244. A plain case, white enamel dial with Arabic hours, outer minute divisions, an outermost fifth of a second track with five minute numerals, red Arabic inner circle, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and blued steel hands. A gilt brass movement, 29 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring.  The dial, case and numbered are signed.
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Diameter: 60 mm
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Signed: No Name
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The different features of the movement, such as the fly regulator on the repeating train, lead one to think that this watch was produced by Barbezat Baillot in Le Locle (at that time the most important maker of repeating watches of this type), which was commercialised under several trademarks such as Dixi and Le Phare. Le Phare. The company was founded as Guye & Barbezat; the founders were Charles Barbezat-Baillot (1847-1938) and Henry Guye (1838- 1877). In 1888, the firm’s name was changed to Le Phare, being the registered name of their complicated watches. In 1900, Barbezat-Baillot advertised their brands that year as: La Locloise; l’Esperanto; Le Phare; Tempora and La Volapuk. Barbezat-Baillot was a member of the jury at the Brussels Universal Exhibition in 1897 and at Liege in 1905.