Swiss 18 carat gold minute repeating pocket watch Circa 1915

Gold open faced lever watch
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A fine Swiss 18 carat gold open faced minute repeating keyless lever pocket watch, circa 1915. Nickel-finished adjusted lever movement with 25 jewels, bimetallic balance with overcoiled spring and swan-neck micrometre regulator, repeating on gongs through a slide on the band. An inscribed gold cuvette.
Gilt dial with Arabic numerals, an outer minute track, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and blued Breguet hands. The plain gold case with an encircled monogram. Movement signed Touchon & Co Swiss, the case signed Wittnauer & Co.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Signed: Touchon & Co Swiss
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Touchon & Co. A watch manufacturer that was first established in Sécheron, later in Petit-Saconnex (districts of Geneva) and subsequently at 1, Place de la Fusterie. The trademark was registered on February 2, 1907, under No. 21652. The manufacturer, which produced high-quality watches, merged with Agassiz Watch Co. S.A., to launch extra slim watches on the market of 16 1/2″‘- 17/12th, 15/12th, 10/12th and even 10″‘- 10/12th. This latter movement, fitted in its case, could be concealed into a 20-dollar coin and was awarded the Gold Medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1889 and, in 1910, received the highest distinction in Brussels. The company produced these watches for Tiffany. In 1921, Touchon entered into a partnership with Wittnauer, under the new company name of Wittnauer & Cie, for the production of watches and spare parts, and moved premises to 4, Rue du Mont-Blanc until 1924.