Swiss silver split seconds chronograph lever watch Circa 1890

Silver open faced pocket watch 
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A Swiss silver open faced double split seconds chronograph keyless pocket watch with 30 minute register and regulator dial, circa 1890. The polished case with silver cuvette and gold crown. White enamel dial with eccentric hour indication featuring Roman numerals at 12 o’clock, a 30 minute counter at 8, auxiliary seconds at 4, an outermost minute chapter with fifth of a second divisions and Arabic five minute numerals, and blued and gold hands. The frosted gilt ¾ plate movement is signed The Winner Swiss Made, has a screw compensation balance and a fine engraved balance cock with regulator scale.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Weight: 136 g
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Signed: Henchoz Frères Le Locle
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Henchoz Frères was a Swiss watchmaking company founded in 1880/1881 in Le Locle by brothers Auguste and Fritz Henchoz. In literature, they were also referred to by their wives’ surnames: Fritz Henchoz-Huguenin and Auguste Henchoz-Arnold. The company specialized in multi register chronographs, minute repeaters, split second stopwatches and high precision tourbillons.
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In 1881, they won third prize at the National Watch Exhibition in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1884, a Class C chronometer won a second prize worth 80 Swiss francs, behind Ulysse Nardin and ahead of Dubois & Leroy, and they showcased grand complication pocket watches and grande sonnerie chronographs at the 1896 National Swiss Fair in Geneva. In 1914, they further won a gold medal at the Bern Watch Exhibition.
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In collaboration with masters like Albert Pellaton, movements were largely built from scratch rather than relying on external ebauches. They marketed select lines under brand names including Ascot and The Winner, while also supplying high end movements to retailers like S. Smith & Son. Timepieces manufactured by Henchoz Frères were also imported by A. Wittnauer in New York, U.S.A.
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In 1913, the brand name Suburban Watch was registered. 
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Run by the founders’ sons, Auguste-Alfred and Marcel-Emile, the headquarters, now known as Henchoz & Fils, were relocated to Geneva in the early 1920s.
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In 1973, Suburban was listed as a brand by both Henchoz & Fils and Wittnauer & Cie.