Swiss double dialled watch with calendar and moon phases Circa 1890

Gold full hunter watch with black dials by Girard-Perregaux
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A fine and rare Swiss gold hunting cased double dialled key less lever watch with calendar, moon phases and black dials, circa 1890. This watch features a nickel movement with lever escapement, a blued steel spring with over coil, a bi metallic compensation balance, and a barrel bridge signed by Girard Perregaux. The main plate is stamped with Alfred Courvoisier Jonais. It also includes calendar work on a separate plate hinged into the case and operated via motion work driven from the center wheel. The calendar work is advanced via a cam with a protruding lever acting on a further lever through an aperture to the backplate of the calendar dial, which is signed and numbered Girard-Perregaux, Chaux-de-Fonds no. 66306. The case is 18 case gold with plain polished bezels and a milled band.
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It has two dials: the first one is black enamel with Roman numerals, an outer Arabic minute ring, sunken subsidiary seconds with an arrow form hand, and gold marcasite set hour and minute hands. The second dial is also black enamel and features an outer date ring with a central indicator hand, two subsidiary dials for day and month in Spanish, an aperture for moon phases, and both dials are signed Girard-Perregaux, Chaux-de-Fonds.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: Girard-Perregaux, Chaux-de-Fonds
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The movement runs intermittently and stops occasionally. The calendar buttons are not functioning properly and require servicing. The case is in fair condition with some dings and scratches, and there is a small dent on the band at 8 o’clock. The dial is also in fair condition, with fine surface blemishes visible to the naked eye.
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Alfred Courvoisier Jonais of La Chaux-de-Fonds designed the watch’s calendar mechanism and received US patent 116316 for his “Improvements in Double Faced Watches” on June 27, 1871. Jonais’ system had the advantage of allowing easy separation of the calendar work from the main watch movement. The calendar module could simply be ‘unclipped’ from the watch’s movement, allowing for easy inspection of both elements and faster access for repairs.
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Girard-Perregaux SA is a luxury Swiss watch manufacturer with its origins dating back to 1791. In 2022, the management of Girard-Perregaux completed a management buyout from the French luxury group Kering. Headquartered in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, the company opened the Girard-Perregaux Museum near its headquarters in Villa Marguerite in 1999. It is best known for the historic tourbillon with three gold bridges, which was awarded a gold medal at the 1889 International Exposition in Paris soon after the launch of the watch. Other notable models from the company include the 1966 collection, Vintage 1945, and models such as the Tri Axial Tourbillon and Laureato, an icon inspired by the 1970s.