Swiss silver gilt watch made for the Chinese market Circa 1870

Silver gilt watch with unusual escapement
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A fine Swiss rare and very unusual silver gilt, enamel and split pearl set open faced dead centre seconds virgule pocket watch with 1/4th second diablotine made for the Chinese market, circa 1870. Accompanied by an engraved Chinese embroidered case. An Empire case, the bezel, pendant and bow set with split pearls, the back cover with a painted on enamel panel of flowers on a mustard coloured ground, reeded band. Glazed gilt rimmed cover fixed to the movement ring.
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White enamel dial with narrow radial Roman numerals, outer minute and seconds track with Arabic fifteen minute numerals, subsidiary quarter second diablotine, blued steel quatrefoil hands. A frosted fully engraved gilt movement, Chinese calibre, standing barrel, eight jewels, escapement with a four leafed escape wheel and virgule type impulse arm, bimetallic balance with blued steel wings, flat balance spring, index regulator.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: Edouard Juvet Fleurier
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The former property of a European Gentleman.
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It is extremely unusual to find a watch for the Chinese market with diablotine seconds and dead centre seconds. The escapement is composed of a four toothed escape wheel, the pivot of which directly drives the diablotine hand, the escape wheel acts upon an impulse arm similar to that used in the virgule escapement.
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The feature known as a diablotine is a small subsidiary dial on a chronograph or independent centre seconds pocket watch, the hand of which moves in a jumping manner at intervals of 1/4 or 1/5th of a second. The term literally means ‘little devil’. The diablotine is halted when the chronograph or centre seconds is stopped and the fractions of a second can be read.