Bovet, Fleurier, No. 3. Made for the Chinese market, circa 1875. Very fine, mid-size pair of silver pocket watches with center seconds and original morocco fitted case. Diam. 47 mm.

Two-body, “Consular”, polished, spring-loaded and glazed cuvette. White enamel dial, radial Roman numerals, outer minute and seconds divisions and Arabic 15 minute/second numerals. Blued steel “ovoid” hands. 39 mm (17 1/2’’’), gilded and entirely foliate engraved, “Chinese” caliber, 16 jewels, free-standing barrel, counterpoised lateral lever escapement, monometallic balance, blued steel self-compensating flat balance spring, index regulator. Dials, cases and movements signed Bovet in Chinese characters.

Bovet

A watchmaking dynasty founded by Edouard, Frédéric, Alphonse, Gustave, Charles-Henri, and Caroline Bovet, of Fleurier. In 1822, a Bovet partnership was founded for the Chinese watch trade in Canton. In 1840, Bovet Frères et Cie was established in Fleurier, and in 1864, the Bovet watch production was sold to Bovet’s manufacturing inspectors in Fleurier, Jules Jéquier and Ernest Bobillier, soon joined by Ami Leuba. In 1888, Bovet Frères was founded under the direction of Alexis Landry, who served his apprenticeship in Fritz Bovet’s workshop in Fleurier, producing ebauches for Chinese watches and silver cases. Alexis Landry formed a partnership with Albert and Jean Bovet, specializing in complicated watches and chronographs. In 1901, the Bovet trademark was acquired by César and Charles Leuba, sons of Ami Leuba. In 1918, Jacques Ullmann & Co. of La Chaux-de-Fonds bought the Bovet brand from Leuba Brothers, and in 1948, Favre-Leuba took over the company and acquired the first production plant. In 1966 Favre-Leuba sold the Fleurier plant, and in 1989 Parmigiani acquired the Bovet name. A limited company registered as Bovet Fleurier S.A. was formed in 1990, using the Bovet trademark. In 1994, Roger Guye and a partner bought Bovet Fleurier S.A. and opened a branch in Geneva. Pascal Raffy became the majority shareholder and President in 2001. Today, Bovet timepieces are widely available in the world's major destinations. Eager to maintain its historical roots in the Far East, the company has subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Japan, and delivers its collection to select distributors in Singapore, Taiwan, the Middle East, Turkey, Russia, the United States, London, and Geneva.