Swiss astronomical repeating pocket chronograph Circa 1898

Gold extraordinary complicated watch by Haas Neveux & Co.
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An extraordinary, Swiss astronomical minute repeating gentleman’s pocket watch with chronograph, 30 minutes counter, perpetual calendar and moon phase, circa 1898. Accompanied historically interesting extract from the archives, dated September 22nd, 1937.
Polished 18-carat rose gold case. Signed white enamel dial with radial Arabic curved numerals, outer minute/second track with blue and black numerals, four subsidiary dials for days of the week, date, months concentric with leap-year cycle and 30 minutes counter, aperture at 6 o’clock for phases of the moon with a scale for the moon’s age and small seconds, centre chronograph hand, and gold Louis XV hands. Bridge movement, Geneva quality hallmark, gold screw compensation balance.
Although this is a highly complex dial, it has a kind of light and playful appearance which it takes from the unusually curved and partly blue numerals.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Weight: 135 g
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Signed: Haas Neveux & Co., Genève, Paris
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The top-class movement was probably created in the workshops of Louis Elisee Piguet – the anglage of the steel parts as well as the exquisite finish of the surface satisfy even the highest expectations in terms of quality.
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Haas & Cie.–
In 1848, the brothers Leopold (1827-1915) and Benjamin (1828-1925)Haas, both knights of the Légion d’honneur, founded the ANCIENNE MANUFACTURE DES MONTRES HAAS & CIE in Geneva. The company excelled in unique and exceptional pieces and achieved its reputation with exquisite watches that pass for modern even today. Rare treasures such as the split second chronograph and beautifully wrought pocket and wristwatches were created in accordance with the manufacturer’s fundamental motto of simplicity, technique and elegance.
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Benjamin Haas invented a form of winding where the mainspring was wound by opening the front cover of a hunting case watch. Patents, 1873, p. 48 illustrated and outlined British patent No. 3945, issued Dec. 2, 1873 to B. Haas. This patent was licensed to other makers.
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1884 Haas changed their name to Haas Neveux & Cie, to communicate that new family members had taken positions in the company. At the same time the original logo of B.H. & Co. (for Benjamin Haas & Co) was changed to a small running hare and the letters HNC in an oval shape – representing the dynamic attitude of the company. In 1896 Haas Neveux & Cie establishes a record with an ultraflat 2 mm movement for a ladies’ watch and wins a first price for precision in the 1902 competition of the famous “Observatoire de Genève”.