Swiss burnished iron world time pocket watch Circa 1880

Rare watch for the Indian and/or Chinese market
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A rare world time watch, probably for the Indian and/or Chinese market, made in Switzerland, circa 1880. The case of this watch was crafted from burnished iron and the enamel dial features six different time zones, central London time in the center and Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Bombay and Calcutta at 2, 4, 8, 10 and 12 o’clock respectively, a small subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock and iron hands. The movement is fitted with a lever escapement.
The dial is marked “Déposé NO 4975″.
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Diameter: 51 mm
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Weight: 112 g
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Signed: No name
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Burnished iron
In the context of pocket watch case making, “burnished iron” typically refers to gunmetal, a historically popular finish for durable, non-precious watch cases. While “gunmetal” originally referred to a specific copper-tin-zinc alloy used for cannons, in watchmaking it specifically describes a dark blue or black surface finish applied to mild steel or iron.