Beautiful LadiesBovet

Beautiful LadiesBovet, Fleurier, Nos. 484/11 and 484/12, circa 1860.Fine and rare pair of small gilded silver, enamel, pearl-set, centre seconds lady's watches in original Morocco fitted box, made for the Chinese market. 32.1 mo, c, 16 jewels, free-standing barrel, straight line lever escapement, plain three-arm steel balance with horn-shaped counter-weights, blued-steel flat balance spring, index regulator.Signed on the movements, and in Chinese characters on the cuvettes.Diam. 39 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 342-343. Notes Although most of the watches and snuffboxes with automata destined for the Chinese market were made in pairs, the majority of them were separated. It is very rare to find a pair still together.Horn-shaped counterweights on the balance, such as those found in these movements, served no chronometrical function, but were rather intended to protect the owner against the evil eye.BovetOne of the most successful Swiss horological dynasties, established by four brothers from Fleurier. Three of the brothers, Edouard, Frédéric, and Alphonse, first set up a business in London in 1815, making watches for the domestic market. In 1818 Edouard was hired by the maison Magniac to be a watchmaker for them in Canton. In 1822, having realized the great possibilities of the Chinese market, the Bovets established their own company in China, Edouard remaining in Canton, Frédéric (born 1786) ad Alphonse (1788-1850) working out of London, and Gustave (1790-184