Swiss gold and enamel watch for the Chinese market Circa 1840

Gold jumping centre seconds duplex by Voumard & Bovet
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An important and extremely rare Swiss 18 CaratK gold, enamel and half pearl set open faced jumping centre seconds duplex pocket watch made for the Chinese market, circa 1840. Bouquet of summer flowers. Comes with the original gold and enamel key.
The case back shows a very fine polychrome enamel flower arrangement with roses, violets and cornflowers on a light blue ground, the band, pendant and bow are decorated with polychrome champlevé enamelling in a pattern of translucent red, yellow and blue panels on an opaque turquoise coloured ground, the bezels, pendant, pusher and bow are studded with half pearls, with Geneva 18 Carat gold stamp 1815-1881, punched B between two dots at the top and bottom for Bovet, Fleurier. Engraved gold dome. White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, outer minutes/seconds track with Arabic fifteen minute numerals and gold Breguet hands. Bridge movement, key ind, Chinese duplex escapement and three-arm steel balance.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Weight: 123 g
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Signed: Bovet à Fleurier – Voumard à Locle
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Among the European makers of pocket watches who produced watches for the Chinese market, Ilbery in London and Bovet and Vaucher in Fleurier were the most renowned companies. They had branches in China and exported the movements and the wonderful enamel work for the timepieces from Switzerland to China. The lavishly ornamented cases always had very distinctive decorations. The motifs were usually taken from nature and have lost nothing of their appeal 200 years later they are still highly sought-after collector’s pieces. Only very few of these enamel ornaments have survived the years undamaged which makes a watch in its original condition like this one even more precious.