Swiss 18 carat gold lépine Bagnolet caliber watch Circa 1830

Extremely fine super flat gold and enamel watch
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An extremely fine, super flat gold and enamel lépine pocket watch with a Bagnolet caliber and an original ratchet key for winding through the plate, made by Meylan in Genève, Switzerland, circa 1830. The numbered open faced case of this watch, which was crafted from 18 carat gold and enamel, has a fine coined band and a back lid with an enamel painting. The white enamel dial has Roman hour numerals and filigree Breguet steel hands and the numbered very fine Bagnolet movement has a cylinder escapement.
Case and movement have matching numbers and the movement is signed.
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Diameter: 35 mm
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Weight: 20 g
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Signed: F&A Meylan à Genève
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Gold and enamel pocket watches with Bagnolet calibers were only produced for a short time. As these movements were very costly to manufacture due to the full plates and were very fragile, they are extremely rare today, especially in working order. Meylan in Genève was the inventor of this caliber. The fewest pocket watches known today with this caliber are signed by Meylan.
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Meylan
Philippe-Samuel Meylan – one of the most notable watchmakers of the early 19th century, was born in Le Brassus on 15 February 1772 and died in Geneva on 3 April 1845. His father, Henri, was a locksmith of genius and Philippe-Samuel was even more brilliant in his own sphere. His activities covered everything related to precision engineering: his watches were unique of their kind and his automata were as good as anything produced by the great Jaquet Droz.

For example, he made ultra thin watches, successfully built a watch into an old twenty-franc coin. This feat was made possible by another invention of his, the so called ‘bagnolet’, a new form of movement which reversed the traditional layout of the gear train. He created a large number of skeleton watches. He was the first to build chiming watches using spring chimes rather than bells and he even invented an alarm ring.

In 1811, together with Isaac Piguet, he founded Piguet & Meylan in Geneva which was, until 1828 when the two associates separated, one of the largest companies in the city..
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François (1800-1882) & Auguste(1824-1899), sons of Philippe Samuel Meylan were pocket watch manufacturers from 1820 to the 1860’s. Watches with Lépine caliber, duplex & cylinder escapement, quarter repeaters, watches with golden cases decorated by enamels and engraving. They also made extra plate watches with Bagnolet caliber.