Swiss 18 carat gold and enamel cylinder watch Circa 1830

Extremely flat watch with decentral dial
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An extremely flat gold enamel cylinder watch with decentral dial, made by Jean-François Bautte in Genève, Switzerland, circa 1830. The numbered extremely thin case of this watch is crafted from 18 carat gold, is splendidly enamelled on both sides and the engine turned decentral dial has Roman hour numerals and Breguet hands. The movement has an extra flat cylinder escapement.
The cuvette is signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 38 mm
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Weight: 29 g
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Signed: J. J^S. Bautte, à Genève
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Bautte
In 1791 watchmaker and goldsmith Jean-François Bautte signed his first watches. He created a manufacturing company in Geneva, grouping, for the first time ever, all the watchmaking facets of that time. This included the engineering of the watch all the way to the final hand assembly and hand polishing of each piece.

In 1832, Jacques Bautte and Jean-Samuel Rossel succeeded him, becoming the head of the company.

In 1852, the watchmaker Constant Girard founded Girard & Cie in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. He then married Marie Perregaux in 1854 and the Girard-Perregaux company was founded in 1856. In 1906, Constant Girard-Gallet, who took over control of the company from his father, acquired the Bautte firm and merged it with Girard-Perregaux & Cie.