English gold minute repeating hunting cased watch Circa 1896

Gold keyless lever pocket watch
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A fine and rare English 18k gold hunting cased, keyless, minute-repeating, circa 1896. Probably destined for an Observatory trial. Special warrants to H.M. The Queen & H.R.H. The Prince of Wales. Polished, by Frederick Thoms case maker’s mark FT, thiefproof swivel bow. Hinged gold cuvette. White enamel dial by Willis, with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds dial. Blued steel Spade hands.

Movement with spotted plates, pillar plate and bridges frosted and gilded, 21 jewels, lateral counterpoised lever escapement with the lift on the pallets, cut-bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature adjustment screws and gold mean time-nuts, blued steel free-sprung double-over coiled Breguet balance spring, diamond endstone, repeating on gongs by activating slide on the band. Dial and movement signed.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: J.W. Benson  London
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This watch is from a series of complicated pieces destined for the Kew Observatory Contests, which accounts for the unusually high standards on finishing the escapement and employing a free-sprung double-over coiled balance spring.