Swiss 18K pink gold full hunter pocket watch Circa 1930

Pink gold hunting cased lever watch
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A Swiss 18 carat pink gold hunting cased (Savonette) pocket watch made by Henri Blanc in Geneva, circa 1930. This watch features a hand wound mechanical lever movement. The white enamel dial displays Arabic numerals for the hours, an outer minute track, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock, and Louis XV style hands. The dial is signed H. Blanc Genève. The round 18 carat pink gold case features a bezel and a case back engraved with the CW monogram. The watch is fitted with a smooth case back and a plain gold dust cover.
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Diameter: 51 mm
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Weight: 110 g
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Signed: H. Blanc Genève
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Henri Blanc, born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in 1873, was the son of watchmaker Sylvain Blanc, who relocated to Geneva around 1886. He studied at the Geneva School of Watchmaking from 1889 to 1894 and opened his own watchmaking shop at 37 Rue du Rhone in Geneva in 1894. Originally focusing on clocks, Henri Blanc managed the city’s pendulum clocks, earning a reputation that led to his being trusted to maintain Geneva’s public clocks. He also participated in the restoration of the bells of Saint-Pierre Cathedral. After WWI, he expanded into small clocks and wristwatches. In 1925, his company was showcased at the International Exhibition of Arts Appliqués and Industries in Paris, alongside notable firms like Louis Brandt et Frère, Omega, Longines, and others. In 1930, at the Geneva Observatory Chronometer Competition, the head watchmaker, Mr Bremer, from Henri Blanc received the first prize in the Prix des fabricants genevois d’horlogerie category, with apprentices such as F.J. van Hattum, who later represented Alpina in the Netherlands. The brand Lilo was founded in 1904, followed by Total in 1922. The company ceased operations in 1964.