Charming Swiss gold watch for the Chinese market Circa 1890

Gold minute repeating hunter
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A charming Swiss 18 carat yellow gold, enamel and pearl open faced keyless pocket watch, circa 1890. Minute repeater with center seconds made for the Chinese market. By two hammers on two steel gongs, activated by the slide located on the case band at 3 o’clock. The case band is engraved and red enamelled in champlevé with decoration of a Greek frieze. Red translucent enamel over guilloché case back, with polychrome painting on enamel showing, in the center, a young woman spinning her distaff with Cupid at her feet, bezels set with half-pearls. The cuvette is engraved with the technical specifications. White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals and gold paillons décor and blued steel Spade hands. A gilded brass movement, going barrel, straight line equilibrated lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensated balance and blued steel hairspring with terminal curve, polished steel index regulator, repeater work on the main plate, under the dial.
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Diameter: 42 mm
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Weight: 69 g
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Signed: No Name
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It is extremely rare to find a watch with a horological complication from this period, made for the Chinese market, with a center seconds mechanism, here built in an indirect way. The dial’s counter enamel is stamped ‘Fritz Voegeli & Cie/Chaux de Fonds’. Enamel dial manufacturer in La Chaux de Fonds (6, rue de la Loge); from the 1880’s, he also made luminous dials.