Swiss gilt duplex pocket watch for Chinese market Circa 1850

Large and heavy watch with calibre Tixier, attributed to Bovet
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An extremely rare, large and heavy, Swiss gold enamel 8-day movement pocket watch with calibre Tixier for the Chinese market, circa 1850.
Gilt case with half pearl-set pendant, the backside opaque enamelled and polychrome enamel plaque with a fine composition of summer flowers, reeded band, rim with applied half pearls and glazed movement. Enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, centre seconds and filigree, blued, flower-decorated hands. Unusual bridge movement, steel, ground, keywind, with two going barrels, a duplex escapement and a three-arm steel balance.
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Diameter: 63 mm
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Weight: 164 g
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Signed: No name
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Jean Tixier à Fleurier
Jean Tixier was born in France and came to Fleurier around 1850 where he became an important figure to produce goods for the Chinese market; it was due to his influence that the design of the movements for this market changed quite considerably. Tardy lists the name Jean Tixier – and we can assume that the entry refers to this Tixier ? for a village watchmaker at Clermont-Ferrand. He is recorded to have worked there from 1840 to 1854; then the Frenchman presumably moved to Fleurier. In Fleurier he was soon involved in the production of goods for the Chinese market and made important changes to the movements designed for this customer group. Tixier used symmetrically laid-out movement and updated the existing so-called “Chinese” calibre with a 3/4-plate. He created a number of calibres, some with an 8-day power reserve. His calibre was also used when in 1858 Pelaz, a maker from Geneva decided to enamel movements for the Chinese market.