Swiss gold, pearl and diamond pendant watch Circa 1900

Gold watch with detachable brooch
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An elegant Swiss 18K gold, pearl and rose diamond-set, lady’s keyless pendant watch with a detachable gold and pearl-set brooch, circa 1900. The bezel is set with seed pearls, and the back cover is entirely set with a pearl lattice highlighted with rose-cut diamonds. The rose-cut diamonds enhance the pearls, giving a particularly beautiful sparkling effect. Hinged gold cuvette, white enamel dial, radial blue Roman numerals, outer gold dot minute divisions, subsidiary seconds and gold baton hands. A rhodium-plated movement, 17 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Cuvette signed.
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Diameter: 26 mm
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Signed: Paul Ditisheim  Chaux-de-Fonds
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Hands are partially replaced.
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Paul Ditisheim was born in 1868 in La Chaux-de-Fonds the historic birthplace of the watchmaking industry, into the small social circle of industrialist families that led the Swiss watch industry of the time. He was a member of the well-known Ditisheim family, the founders and owners of Vulcain. A watch brand enjoyed by American presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson. Paul did his apprenticeship at the watchmaking school in La Chaux-de-Fonds, before working in Ponts-de-Martel, Berlin, Paris and Rotherham near Coventry.
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He worked at his family’s company until 1892 when he opened his own workshop and founded the brands Solvil of which the timepieces were often signed Paul Ditisheim and Titus of which the watches were generally marked separately. Ditisheim was one of the most famous makers of watches and chronometers, who did most of his research and his publications in the field of precision timekeeping. He also worked closely with Physics Nobel prize winner Charles-Edouard Guillaume and has been considered the father of modern chronometers. He presented his watches in many exhibitions. Paul Ditisheim died in 1945, leaving a legacy of technical excellence and design that has renewed the reputation of Swiss Made.