Swiss gold hunter with high relief decorated cover Circa 1915

Gold key less lever pocket watch 
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A Swiss 18 carat gold hunting cased key less lever pocket watch with a high relief decorated cover, circa 1915. A polished case, the front cover with a cast high relief scene of a gaucho on horseback firing his gun at a jaguar in the undergrowth ready to pounce, the back with engraved foliate monogram. Hinged gold cuvette engraved with the Prize Medals. White enamel dial, Breguet numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds and black spade hands. A frosted gilt movement, 17 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bi metallic compensation balance with blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator.
Dial, case, cuvette and movement signed.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: Ulysse Nardin  Locle
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The movement is slightly oxidized and the case has some dents.
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Ulysse Nardin SA is a Swiss luxury watchmaking company. Founded in 1846 in Le Locle, Switzerland bearing the name of its founder Ulysse Nardin. It has remained in continuous production since. The company became best known for manufacturing highly accurate marine chronometers (of which the anchor in the company logo is a reminder nowadays) used by over 50 of the world’s navies from the end of the 19th century till 1950. Furthermore, pocket watches with complications such as moon phases, a perpetual calendar, repetition and an alarm function were produced. According to the last official report of Neuchâtel Observatory in Switzerland, Ulysse Nardin had won numerous awards and honours for its marine chronometers from 1846 to 1975, including 4324 certificates, 2411 special prizes and 18 gold medals at International exhibitions.
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Ulysse was born in 1823 in Le Locle, Switzerland. He first trained as an apprentice horologist under his father, Léonard-Fédéric Nardin and by which time they were employing over two hundred specialist craftsmen including goldsmiths, enamellers, engravers, lapidaries, diamond polishers and watchmakers. By employing these artists directly, rather than contracting out the work, Verger Frères were able to keep tight control of the quality of their work. Consequently, they became renowned for the outstanding quality and consistency of their pieces. The firm remained in the Verger family during the 1940s and 1950s, but eventually, the business was bought by Georges Lenfant and more recently it was acquired by Atelier Bouder who have dedicatedly reconstructed the company’s heritage through the extensive archives of drawings and models.