Description

A small late 19^th Century Swiss cylinder watch in a rare silver niello case in the form of a lute..  Keywind gilt bar movement with suspended going barrel.  Plain cock with polished steel regulator.  plain three arm gilt balance with blue steel spiral hairspring.  Polished steel cylinder, steel escape wheel.  white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals, gilt hands.  Small engine turned silver open face case, a four leaf clover engraved on the back.  Gilt metal cuvette, maker's mark “R & Co”.  The watch sits in a compartment in the back of an unusual silver niello case in the form of a lute.  The well made silver lute  is decorated on the sound board in black niello work, the dial visible through the glazed soundhole. The neck is similarly decorated to imitate the finger board above which are four gilt metal strings running through a silver bridge.  Fine teardrop shaped hinged bowl decorated in a fine checkerboard pattern of niello work housing the watch.  The end of the neck is turned over to form a hook.