Swiss gold and enamel scalloped pendant watch Circa 1889

Attractive keyless cylinder pendant watch by Henry Capt
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An attractive and unusual Swiss yellow gold and enamel open faced scalloped keyless cylinder pendant watch, circa 1889. The watch features a gilt-finished jewelled cylinder movement. It has a white enamel dial with Arabic numerals on a light blue chapter ring, an outer minute track with Arabic five minute numerals, and spade hands. The case is adorned with scalloped vermicelli decoration, and the bezel is decorated with translucent blue enamel and painted floral designs. The back is similarly decorated and centred with a painted enamel scene depicting two putti over a translucent pink enamel background. The inside of the case back is engraved with A.E. Blee, Oct. 17th, 1889. It includes a gold cuvette. The case is stamped and numbered, the cuvette and movement are signed and numbered, and the dial is signed.
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Diameter: 32 mm
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Signed: Henry Capt Genève
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The movement is nonfunctional. The dial remains intact, and the case is well preserved. The enamel decoration shows surface wear throughout. There are minor chips on the cherub decorations at the centre of the case back.
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Henry-Daniel Capt was an independent Swiss watchmaker who specialised in watches with additional complications such as musical watches and automatons. Capt was one of the first in Geneva to use barrels and crowns in his automatons. He was born in Chenit in the Vallée de Joux in April 1773, as the son of Jaques Samuel Capt and Susanne Piguet. His brother was Charles Samuel Capt. On January 1st, 1796, he married Henriette Piguet. In the Vallée de Joux, Capt trained as an établisseur. Around 1789, Henry settled in Geneva and worked for renowned companies such as Jaquet-Droz, Godet, Leschot, and his brother-in-law, Daniel Isaac Piguet. In 1802 he went into partnership with Daniel Isaac Piguet, which lasted until 1811. When this partnership ended, Capt kept producing his pieces before entering another partnership with Aubert et Fils in 1830 as Aubert & Capt, located in Place Bel-Air, Geneva. The firm was taken over by his son, Henry Capt, in 1844. He opened a shop on the Rue du Rhône in 1855, which quickly gained an excellent reputation. During the 1870s, the Henry Capt Company advertised that they were the only Geneva watch manufacturer to have a branch retail house in London. He also established branches in Paris, Nice, and New York. The house of Henry Capt flourished for many decades. Henry Daniel Capt died in 1841.