Swiss/ Danish gold watch for the American market Circa 1890

Gold lever watch by Henri Robert Ekegrèn
–
A fine and rare 18 carat Swiss/Danish hunting cased precision pocket watch for the American market, made for J. E. Caldwell & Co. jewellers, Philadelphia, circa 1890. Bridge movement, club-tooth lever escapement of the finest quality, gold screw cut bimetallic compensation balance, Geneva Striping, fine adjustment.
Polished 18K red gold case with an engraved monogram on both sides in fine à goutte quality.
Enamel dial in very good condition with radial hours, outer minutes track with red Arabic five minutes numerals, subsidiary dial for the seconds, steel spade hands. Gold cuvette signed H.R. Ekegrèn Copenhagen made for J. E. Caldwell & Co. jewellers, Philadelphia. Signed dial and cuvette.
–
Diameter: 53 mm
–
Weight: 131 g
–
Signed: H.R. Ekegrèn Copenhagen
–
Henry Robert Ekegrén (1823-1896) was born in Denmark and completed his apprenticeship in the shop of Urban Jürgensen & Sonner in Copenhagen. He worked a season for Jules Jürgensen in Le Locle, then went on to work in London and Paris. In 1847 he worked for a year for Henri Golay in Geneva, then for ten years for its successor company Golay-Leresche. He also worked for Winnerl and Adolph Lange before establishing his own company with Ferdinand Westermann in Geneva. The Geneva Observatory always gave H.R. Ekegrén a high rating for its pocket chronometers, as did other contests. He was one of the most awarded Swiss watchmakers. The Journal ‘Suisse d’ Horlogerie’ noted not only that Ekegrén was a first-rate timer, but also that he allowed no one else to direct his business and that he was always seeking to elevate the level of the chronometric art.
–
Reference 0013500