Swiss gold pocket watch for the American market Circa 1890

Gold lever watch with open face by Henri Robert Ekegrèn
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An exquisite red gold Geneva precision anchor chronometer, pocket watch, circa 1890. Delivered to the Caldwell company in the USA.
Polished 18K red gold case with engraved monogram in fine à goutte quality. Enamel dial in very good condition with Breguet-style radial hours, outer minutes track with red Arabic five minutes numerals, subsidiary dial for the red seconds, and Louis XV-style red gold hands. Geneva anchor chronometer movement of the finest quality, similar to the movements of Patek Philippe, gold screw chronometer balance, fine adjustment, wolf teeth. Movement and dial signed. Movement and case with matched numbers.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Weight: 84 g
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Signed: H.R. Ekegrèn Geneva
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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.