A SWISS GILT MINIATURE MINUTE-REPEATING CARRIAGE TIMEPIECE W...

Estimate

£800 - £1,200

A SWISS GILT MINIATURE MINUTE-REPEATING CARRIAGE TIMEPIECE WITH ALARMLE PHARE, LE LOCLE, CIRCA 1900The circular frosted eight-day keyless winding movement with five-wheel going train, straight-line lever escapement regulated by sprung bimetallic balance and with push button repeat sounding on a graduated pair of gongs the hours on the larger followed by ting-tang quarters on both and finally the minutes on the smaller, the alarm with via a separate barrel and sounding on one of the gongs, the 1.25 inch circular white enamel dial signed Le Phare and with ALARM direction arrow to centre within vertically aligned gilt Arabic hour numerals, with scroll-pierced gilt spade hands and blued steel alarm setting pointer, set behind decorative scallop-edge cut circular glass with canted gilt bezel insert, the frosted gilt anglaise type case of Mignonette No. 1 size with hinged reeded baton carrying handle over repeat plunder to top, moulded frieze with fluted band insert and stylised fluted three-quarter Corinthian inspired column uprights to angles with satin-gilt panel infill between, the rear with winding squares, on stepped moulded skirt base bordered with a conforming fluted band and with sliding cover to the underside revealing setting crown, micrometer regulation adjustment disc and stamped serial number 37935; with original Morocco leather covered carrying case with circular dial aperture to the lift-out front and a green velvet lined interior.The timepiece 8.5cm (3.375ins) high with handle down, 5.5cm (2.25ins) wide, 4.5cm (1.75ins) deep; the case 11cm (4.25ins) high, 8cm (3.25ins) wide, 7cm (2.75ins) deep.The Swiss watchmaking brand 'Le Phare', which translates to 'lighthouse', was established by the talented and inventive watchmaker Charles Barbezat-Baillot in Le Locle, November 1888.Miniature minute-repeating carriage timepieces were developed by Swiss makers during the last decade of the 19th century, who utilised their skills as watchmakers to produce high-quality movements such as that used in the present lot. Such Miniature timepieces are called Mignonettes or 'little darlings' and mostly come in three graded sizes with No. 1 being the smallest.