ANTIQUE HUGUENIN FRERES / INVICTA NIELLO EQUESTRIAN POCKET WATCH & FOB, 1890's

Description

HUGUENIN FRERES, known for their "Niel" method of embellishing watch cases - the lost art of black enamel inlay over engraved silver to form an artistic design - made this equestrian themed pocket watch and its unique matching fob in the late 1890's.
Noted watchmaker INVICTA, made the movement and beautiful porcelain dial.
Together, the Swiss firms created a masterpiece embossed with hunters on rearing horses and their hounds in a leafy glade, complemented with a fob carrying out the hunting scene.  The 800 silver, three-part case is two inches in diameter, completely finished in niello.  Case is marked (under dog's foot):  H. F....DEP (Huguenin Freres, Depose).
The very rare fob, 6 1/2 inches long, has a checkerboard niello background with links depicting a  horseshoe, straps, and other equestrian themes, with nailheads, buckles and trim of 18K rose gold.   A seal monogrammed C and B completes the fob.   Watch and fob together are 91/4 inches long.
Movement is signed INVICTA; the watch winds smoothly, runs well and keeps good time.
Porcelain dial is detailed with hand-painted numbers and gold minute markers, gold spade hands,  subsidiary seconds chapter and is signed Invicta. Dial has almost invisible (under 10x loupe) hairlines (see pix).
Inside cover includes serial  #711820; Huguenin "Niel HF" cartouche; 800 and Swiss silver marks.  The second inside cover lists awards given  this watch, including "MEDAILLE D'OR, BORDEAUX, 1895"and  "DIPLOME D'HONNEUR/PARIS 1896".
This is a true collector's watch, especially rare to find with a matching niello silver fob.   Niello has no chips or flakes, just shows normal wear commensurate with age and use.   A small dent is on bezel side and part of one gold buckle is missing.   Watch and fob weigh 4 ounces.
This is a combination of art and fine watchmaking that harkens back to a more gentlemanly era, still wearable, still appreciated