Swiss watch with centre seconds for Chinese Market Circa 1895

Silver open faced pocket watch by J. Ullmann & Co.
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A rare, Swiss silver enamel pocket watch studded with half-pearls for the Chinese market, circa 1895. Silver case with a portrait of a lady in period costume on the back cover against an engine-turned and translucent cobalt blue enamelled ground, and the bezels set with half pearls. Enamel dial with inlaid gold decor, Roman radial hours, centre seconds, and blued spade hands. Keywind, lavishly hand-engraved, frosted, gilt bridge movement with standing barrel, screw compensation balance, finely florally engraved balance cock, and side lever escapement.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Weight: 120 g
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Signed: J. Ullmann & Co. Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tientsin
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Ullmann & Co.
Ullmann & Co. was founded around 1880 by Jacques Ullmann in Fleurier with an office and factory in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Jack Watch Factory(1905). There were branches in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tientsin, Paris and, for a short time, Vladivostock. The distribution centre for the Asian market was in Hong Kong at Queens Road No. 74. There was an office in Nanking Road 564 and Tientsin in the Rue de France in the French Concession in Shanghai. E. Bernheim was the manager of the Hong Kong office and lived at 19 Belilios Terrace. The Assistant Manager was Gustav Koenig at Queen’s Road Central. In Shanghai, the manager B. Bernheim and G. Gebsburger were his assistants. There were also shops in the rest of the main oriental cities.
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Jacques Ullmann worked with Edouard Juvet, among others; he also purchased watches from John Barwise, Tavannes Watch Co., 8-day watches from Schild & Co., chronographs and repeater hammer watches from various manufacturers for the Asian market. Jacques Ullmann’s stores in Paris and Vladivostok showed a side of Chinese clocks that we sometimes forget. These Chinese watches were also sold in Arabia, Russia, Singapore, South America, and Algeria. Although his main customers are Chinese, these watches have also enjoyed international success. Jacques Ullmann became very wealthy by trading in the Asian market. The Ullmann company bought the Bovet company in 1918. In 1932Jacques Ullmann’s successors withdrew from the business, and Albert Bovet and Jean Bovet acquired Bovet. They registered several patents for chronographs, such as a mono rattrapante. Jack Watch Co. was used by the watch company founded by Louis Grisel in La Chaux-de-Fonds.