Swiss gold chronograph with special escapement Circa 1795

Gold open faced with center seconds
–
A very rare Swiss 18 carat gold open faced key winding pocket watch, made by  J. Robert & Fils, Courvoisier in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, circa 1795. With an early dead center seconds chronograph with special escapement. The numbered open faced case of this watch was crafted from 18 carat gold, has the master’s punch BL, is glazed on both sides and has a case band with a lever to stop the jumping seconds.
–
The white enamel dial has Arabic fifteen minute and hour numerals and unusual gold hands. A gilt brass, full plate movement with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, Pouzait lever escapement with extra large plain gold four arm balance, flat balance spring with regulator, extra large skeletonized gilt brass cock covering the back plate, with diamond end stone. Knurled setting wheel and stopwatch lever, in the gilt brass dial plate.
The dial, case and movement are signed.
–
Diameter: 57 mm
–
Signed: Robert & Courvoisier  La Chaux-de-Fonds
–
This is one of the most interesting known pocket watches with a Pouzait escapement. Normally, these watches are made of silver and are very rarely with additional complications. Here we have a piece with an original gold case and the extremely rare movement version with a gold balance and a diamond end stone. Pouzait’s attempt to combine a lever escapement and a large seconds beating balance was highly appreciated on the Chinese market due to its spectacular appearance. Later, Jacot invented the so-called ‘Chinese duplex’ escapement. The watch presented here is one of the earliest pocket watches made for the Chinese market.