Swiss silver and gold open faced lever watch Circa 1904

Silver and gold keyless pocket watch
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A fine and rare Swiss silver and gold open faced keyless pocket watch, demi chronomètre, made by Vacheron & Constantin in Geneva, circa 1904. A silver case with gold details, the back engraved with a dragon and crown, the hinged cuvette with an inscription dated 1904. White enamel dial with radial Roman hour numerals, an outer minute track, subsidiary sunk seconds and blued steel spade hands. Frosted gilt movement, 17 jewels, a straight line moustache lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance and blued steel Breguet balance spring. Dial, case and movement are signed.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Signed: Vacheron & Constantin Genève
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Vacheron & Constantin used the name demi chronomètre to indicate that the movement was sent to the Observatory for chronometric control, but that, for commercial reasons, it did not remain long enough to complete the entire course of testing. It is thought that only two Genevan firms employed the denomination ‘demi chronomètre’: Vacheron & Constantin and Henry Capt.