Swiss silver and gold quarter repeating lever watch Circa 1848

Blackened silver and gold repeating full hunter by Patek & Cie
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An exquisite, early and very rare Swiss blackened silver and gold hunting cased quarter repeating lever pocket watch, circa 1848. Bridge movement, two hammers, two gongs, a piston tooth lever escapement and gold screw compensation balance. Gold cuvette with guilloché decoration. White enamel dial with Roman hours, an outer minute track and moon hands. An elaborately hand engraved case, the front showing a lion fighting a snake which could be after the bronze sculpture Lion au Serpent by Antoine-Louis Barye, created in 1832 and now in the Louvre, the back is decorated with an anchor entwined with vine leaves and ears of corn. Dial signed, cuvette signed and numbered, case and movement with matching numbers.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Weight: 74 g
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Signed: Patek & Cie Genève
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This piece is one of the first watches from Patek & Cie with keyless winding, a hand setting system and an additional complication.
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In 1845, the remontoir and setting system used in the present watch was developed by Jean Adrien Philippe and formed the basis for the modern winding mechanisms of today’s timepieces.