Swiss hunting cased quarter repeating lever watch Circa 1900

Gold repeating full hunter by Le Phare
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A Swiss 18 carat gold hunting cased quarter repeating lever watch, circa 1900. The watch features bridge movement with two hammers, two gongs, and lever escapement. The white enamel dial displays Arabic hour markers, outer minute divisions, a sunk subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock, and blued spade hands. The case is 18k yellow gold and has well defined engravings, with a hinged cuvette and back. The cuvette is engraved with prize medals. Both the case and dial are signed.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: Le Phare
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The movement runs smoothly. The case is in good condition, but there are visible signs of wear, including scuffs and scratches. The dial has a fine hairline mark between the 7 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions, along with some light staining and surface marks that can be seen with the naked eye.
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Le Phare.
The company was originally founded by Charles Barbezat-Baillot (1847-1938) and Henry Guye (1838-1877) under the name Guye & Barbezat in Le Locle, Switzerland, high in the Neuchâtel mountains. In 1888, the firm’s name was changed to Le Phare, the registered name of their complicated watches. The company, which later launched the Jean d’Eve watch range, has left its mark on the story of Swiss watchmaking. Indeed, from 1889, its watches were rewarded with the most eminent prizes, a gold medal at the National Exhibition of 1896 in Geneva and 1889 at the Great Universal Exhibition in Paris. In 1897, the silent regulator was invented. A veritable technological marvel that overcame the humming problems beset by the repeater watches of the day. This brought another gold medal for Le Phare at the Paris Great Exhibition of 1900. In 1900, the company advertised their brands that year as La Locloise, l’Esperanto, Le Phare, Tempora, and La Volapuk. The company continued to develop and, in 1970, was the second largest producer of chronograph watches in Switzerland. The management’s strategy is to take maximum advantage of its remarkable know how to develop new ways of measuring time.