Swiss gold-plated watch with visible music box Circa 1980

Gold-plated and enamel cylinder watch
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A fine Swiss gold-plated and painted-on enamel hunting cased keyless cylinder pocket watch, circa 1980. With a visible built-in music box activated when the cover is opened. Accompanied by a fitted box. A foliate engraved case, the front cover decorated with a polychrome enamel scene of a rendezvous. White enamel dial with radial Arabic numerals, outer minute divisions and gilt Breguet hands. Gilt-brass movement, a musical train with a pinned cylinder and 17 teeth, a hand-tuned comb and start/stop button on the back cover. Musical movement signed.
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Diameter: 36.5 mm
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Signed: Reuge Sainte-Croix
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The origins of Reuge date back to 1865 when Charles Reuge set up a musical pocket watch shop in the Swiss Mountain town of Sainte-Croix. By 1886 his son, Albert Reuge opened a music box workshop, the company experienced success and their mechanisms were to be found in a range of products such as powder compacts and cigarette lighters. By 1930 Guido Reuge had built the Reuge factory and he guided the company for over 60 years. Today Reuge retains its historical elements still producing singing birds but moving with the times, their music boxes today come in traditional but also modern and innovative designs.