Swiss nickel pocket watch ‘Mobilis’ tourbillon Circa 1910

Poor man’s watch with lever escapement
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A rare ‘Mobilis’ tourbillon, possibly made by Courvoisier Frères, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, circa 1910. The open faced plain case of this watch was crafted from nickel and has an engine turned face with an aperture to view the visible tourbillon with a decoratively engraved balance bridge. The silvered eccentric dial at 12 o’clock of the face has radial Roman hour numerals, outer minute dots and cathedral hands. The numbered movement has a lever escapement and the watch comes with a matching chain.
The movement plate is signed.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Weight: 105 g
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Signed: Mobilis
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Mobilis tourbillon
At the beginning of the 20^th century, Paul Loichot, from Charquemont in Doubs, France, invented and patented an interesting tourbillon design in Switzerland (Swiss Patent No. 30754 from June 11^th, 1904). He inverted the movement, allowing the carriage to be seen through the dial and placed the escapement in a straight line with a lever opening for the carriage arbour.
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Courvoisier Frères, La Chaux-de-Fonds, registered the brand name Mobilis, on July 4^th, 1905 (Swiss mark No. 19062).