Swiss centre seconds duplex for the Chinese market Circa 1840

Gold and enamel jumping centre seconds watch by Bovet 
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A rare and impressive-sized Swiss 18K gold and enamel open faced gentleman’s duplex pocket watch with jumping centre seconds made for the Chinese market, circa 1840.
The case back with polychrome enamel depicting a finely painted pair of doves in a nest of roses, tulips, peonies and daisies, sunflowers, trumpet vines, violets and marigolds, the bow, front bezel and band are decorated with a champlevé enamel geometric pattern in opaque green and blue hues. White enamel dial with Roman hours, Arabic outer minute divisions, Arabic quarter-hour numerals and decorative hands. Bridge movement, keywind, Chinese duplex escapement, monometallic balance with blued steel weights.
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Diameter: 63 mm
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Weight: 157 g
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Signed: Bovet Fleurier Swiss
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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 enamelwork for the timepieces from Switzerland to China. The lavishly ornamented cases always had 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. Very few of these enamel ornaments have survived the years undamaged, making a watch in its original condition like this one even more precious.