French 18k gold, diamond lady’s miniature pendant watch Circa 1900

Gold minute repeating lady’s pocket watch
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A very fine and extremely rare French, 18k gold minute repeating, rose diamond-set keyless lady’s miniature pendant watch, circa 1900. A polished case, the back cover is inset with a platinum letter M set with rose-cut diamonds. Hinged gold cuvette. White enamel dial with Dauphine numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds. Gold spade hands. A frosted gilt movement, 25 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band. Dial, cuvette and movement signed.
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Diameter: 28 mm
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Signed: L. Leroy & Cie  Paris
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Miniature minute repeating watches are extremely rare, the present watch is one of the smallest ever made. The Leroy lady’s minute repeater was considered at the time to be the smallest minute repeater in the world, along with the Audemars Piguet lady’s pendant watch illustrated in “Audemars Piguet” by Gisbert Brunner, Christian Pfeiffer-Belli, and Martin K. Wehrli, p. 116, photos 85 a, b, and c. L. Leroy & Cie. Founded in 1764 by Charles Le Roy, Quai des Orfèvres in Paris. Le Roy offered a choice of watches and pendulums, of high quality which earned him the support of the Court. During the Revolution, his connections to the ancien régime almost caused him to lose his life. During the Terror he signed EYLOR. In 1827, Charles Le Roy took his son Louis into partnership, changing the company’s name to Le Roy & Fils, Horlogers du Roi. In 1889, Louis Leroy took over the company. Louis Leroy opened manufacture in Besançon, consequently abandoning his Swiss suppliers. Le Roy began to participate in the chronometer timing contests of the Observatory of Besançon, with remarkable results. At the end of the century, L. Leroy & Cie. moved to 7, Boulevard de la Madeleine.