Swiss pink gold repeater made for the American market Circa 1883

Gold hunting cased keyless lever
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A very fine Swiss 18 carat pink gold hunting cased minute repeating keyless pocket watch with carillon made for the American market by Louis Brandt & Frère SA, circa 1883. Comes with the original presentation box, a certificate of authenticity and two year guarantee. A solid polished case with an engine turned peripheral border on both sides, engine turned band, the inside back cover with the dedication David Patton from Aunt Jane, Christmas 1883, and a hinged gold cuvette.
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White enamel dial with painted stylized Arabic hour numerals, outer minute divisions, sunk subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and blued steel spade hands. A nickel silver movement with 30 jewels, four gold chatons, counterpoised straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance and blued steel Breguet balance spring, three hammers striking on two gongs by activating a slide on the band. Case numbered, movement marked Pat 7832, a patent granted to Louis Brandt & Frère on December 30th, 1883.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Signed: Louis Brandt & Frère
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A minute repeating watch tells the time both visually and audibly. A slide on the side of the case, usually near 9 o’clock, will activate two hammers in the movement. These hammers strike two gongs curled within the case. First, one hammer strikes a gong of lower tonality that will count out the hours. Then both hammers strike both gongs alternatively to count out the quarter hours after that hour, and lastly the second hammer alone, striking a gong of higher tonality, will count out the minutes after that quarter hour.
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The repeating mechanism was developed by Daniel Quare. In 1687, he patented a mechanism that sounded the hours and the quarter hours. The early repeaters used bells. At the end of the 18th century, two bent wire gongs became the more popular mechanism. In 1892, the first minute repeating wristwatch was manufactured by Louis Brandt & Frère.