Léo JUVET, for the Chinese market - Lot 8

Léo JUVET, for the Chinese market Soap pocket watch in silver (800), with chased decoration of flowers and foliage and a cartouche on one side. White enameled dial, signed "Yu Wei" in gilding, black hour markers with Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals with railway for the minutes. Seconds dial at 6 o'clock. Silvered brass clasp and dust cover. Cartouches with Chinese signature and number 213983 on reverse of lids. Key-wound spiral movement, signed on the cartouche. Presented with brass and steel key, stamped "Leo Juvet, Shanghai". Gross weight: 82.2 g. - Diameter: 46 mm. Wear to decoration, a few minor knocks. The JUVET family was renowned in the Swiss watchmaking industry for this type of watch. Édouard JUVET founded his workshop in Buttes in 1842, then moved it to Fleurier in 1844. He began producing timepieces for the Chinese market in 1856. To sell them locally, his two sons Ami-Louis and Léo went to Shanghai. The Juvet company moved to Tien-Tsin and Saigon. In 1873 Edouard Juvet registered his signature in Chinese characters (Yu Wei), which was reproduced on the watches.