Swiss silver-gilt watch made for the Chinese market Circa 1875

Silver-gilt, enamel and pearl watch with centre seconds
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A Swiss silver-gilt, painted-on enamel and pearl-set pocket watch with centre seconds, circa 1875. It is made for the Chinese market. An empire case, pearl-set bezel, pendant and bow, reeded band, the back cover decorated with a painted-on enamel portrait of a young lady with gold paillon highlights to her jewellery and hat, translucent green enamel background over radial engine-turning, pearl-set border and a hinged and glazed cuvette. White enamel dial, narrow radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions and black ovoid hands. A gilt, entirely foliate engraved movement, Chinese calibre, ten jewels, standing barrel, counterpoised lateral lever escapement, bimetallic compensation balance, flat balance spring, and an index regulator. Case and movement signed with the Chinese Hantali mark trademark of Maison L. Vrard & Cie.
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Diameter: 33 mm
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Signed: L. Vrard & Cie
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Maison L. Vrard & Cie. Vrard & Cie was one of the finest and most renowned watchmaking companies of its time and specialized in trading on the Chinese market. The company, which was established in 1860 under the name Laidrich & Vrard, began operating out of Tsientsin in 1862 and opened a branch in Shanghai soon after that. The Shanghai office also represented the Bovet brand. Vrard produced relatively simple watches as well as highly complicated and extravagant pieces, some of the high-quality watches had enamel cases made by the most eminent makers of Geneva such as Louis Rosselet, Marc Dufaux, Louis Millenet, Louis Pauthex and P.A. Champod. One of the highlights in Vrard’s collection was a piece created for the Empress Dowager Tzu-Hsi (or Cixi) and gained the company a royal warrant. Vrard’s Chinese Trademark ‘Hantali’ and the company history are illustrated and described in ‘La Montre Chinoise’ by Alfred Chapuis.