Fine Swiss 18 carat gold lorgnette with concealed watch Circa 1850

Gold lorgnette watch in original box
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A lorgnette with concealed watch in the original presentation box made by A. Golay-Lereche in Genève, Switzerland, circa 1850. This lorgnette watch is crafted from 18 carat gold, has very fine deep engravings on both sides, a blank cartouche on the back and a small slide to open the spring lid. The small white enamel dial has Roman hour numerals, an outer minute track and black moon hands. The movement has a cylinder escapement.
The face and box are signed.
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Length: 95 mm
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Signed: A. Golay-Leresche Genève
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David-Auguste Golay
David-Auguste Golay (1814-1895), called Auguste, was the son of Jacques-David Golay (born 1782) who came from the Vallée de Joux and married Susanne-Louise Meylan. The couple settled in Geneva with their young son around 1829. The company’s products were always of high quality and Auguste Golay was a clever businessman. Exceptional pieces were frequently shown at the increasingly numerous international exhibitions. The firm won prizes at the exhibitions in London in 1851, Paris in 1855 and 1878, as well as at the Swiss national exhibitions in Zurich, Geneva, etc. In terms of quality, the watches are quite comparable to other Geneva manufacturers such as Czapek or Capt!