Summer Bouquet Vaucher

Summer Bouquet Vaucher, Fleurier, No. 1381.Made for the Chinese market, circa 1860. Very fine, 18K gold, painted on enamel and pearl-set centerseconds pocket watch. Two-body, the back finely painted on enamel with a bouquet of summer flowers against a translucent red guilloché enamel ground, the bezels, pendant, and bow set with split-pearls, the band and pendant decorated with green champlevé enamel and white enamel dots and gold leaves. Gilt cuvette hinged to the movement ring. hite enamel, radial narrow Roman numerals, outer minute/seconds divisions with fifteenminute/ seconds Arabic numerals. Gold poire hands. 45 mm, gilt "Chinese" caliber fully engraved, standing barrel, jeweled cylinder escapement, plain three-arm steel balance with flat rim, blued steel flat balance-spring, index regulator. Dial and movement signed. Diam. 52.5 mm. Notes Charles-Henri Vaucher, Fleurier. Not to be confused with Vaucher frères. The firm was established by Charles-Henri Vaucher in Fleurier, in what later became the "Hotel de Ville". In 1838 Vaucher sent a number of watches, some enameled, to Canton, attracting the attention of Louis Bovet, who mentioned them to his uncle Edouard. The company had a branch in London; later it moved to Trévise. Flowers have great symbolic importance for the Chinese. By their form, aspect, and fragrance, they are considered to be highly spiritual, reflecting the profound nature of the Chinese people. Poems and proverbs show the cultural importance of