Swiss platinum minute repeating lever dress watch Circa 1915

Platinum open faced keyless dress watch by Ekegrén
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A very fine, rare and thin Swiss platinum open faced minute repeating keyless lever dress watch, circa 1915. Made by Edouard Koehn, Geneva for J.E. Caldwell & Co, Philadelphia. Rhodium-plated movement, 29 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with eight adjustments, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide in the band. Matte silver dial with painted dauphine numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds and original black Breguet hands. Polished case, flat monogrammed back. Dial, case and movement signed.
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Diameter: 44 mm
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Signed: H.R. Ekegrén Geneva
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The dial is slightly oxidized.
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Henri-Robert Ekegrén, (1823-1896) was the son of Daniel Ekegrén, a Swedish watchmaker, he worked for Jules Jürgensen in Le Locle, Winnerl in Paris, and Henri Golay in Geneva, where he arrived in 1847. In 1857 he formed a partnership with Ferdinand Westermann. At the 1867 Exhibition, he displayed thirty-six watches, winning a gold medal. Subsequent exhibitions – Vienna in 1873, Paris in 1875, Philadelphia in 1876, Paris again in 1878, and Zurich in 1883 – brought him and his collaborator, Louis Chevalier, further honours and recognition. The company of H.R. Ekegren continued after his death.