Swiss silver enamelled full hunter cased watch Circa 1880

Pocket watch for the Ottoman market
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An attractive and enameled full hunter cased pocket watch, with a silver chain, made for the Ottoman market by the  Jacot Frères in le Locle, Switzerland, circa 1880. The numbered and typical Ottoman case of this watch was crafted from 800 silver and features multicoloured enamel, double sided spring lids and the Jacot Frères Hallmark. The gilt dial features partially refreshed Ottoman hour numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock and steel hands. The movement is fitted with a lever escapement and key winding.
The case and movement are signed.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Weight: 97 g
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Signed: Tunnel
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Jacot Frères
Jacot Frères (Jacot Brothers) was a significant Swiss watchmaking firm active in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, with operations primarily based in Le Locle and a commercial presence in Geneva.

The firm was established by the brothers Fritz and Gustave in the mid to late 1800’s in Le Locle, a historic center of Swiss watchmaking in the Canton of Neuchâtel. While the Jacot name is common in the region, this specific partnership typically refers to brothers who specialised in high quality mechanical timepieces.
The partnership of the second generation, Gustave (son of Fritz) and his brother Bernard Jacot, began around 1881. It was during this era that the firm expanded its commercial presence to Geneva to reach luxury international markets. Post 1911, much of the firm’s activity in Le Locle became closely intertwined with the development of the Zenith manufacture, which was founded by their relative Georges Favre-Jacot in 1865 and adopted its definitive name in 1911.
The fact that the item presented here is a Jacot Frères “Tunnel” watch, which was made for the Ottoman market (present-day Turkey and surrounding regions) is a significant historical detail. In the late 19^th century, Swiss firms created highly specialised timepieces to meet the unique aesthetic and functional requirements of the Ottoman Empire.