Vintage 18ct Gold LIP Full Hunter Pocket Watch

Vintage 18ct Gold Lip Full Hunter Pocket Watch

An early 20th Century 18ct yellow gold keyless wind full hunter pocket watch, circa 1920.

The polished 18ct gold hinged case measuring 49mm in diameter houses a Swiss lever movement, cut and compensated bi-metallic balance.

The white dial features black applied Arabic numerals with inner red 24 hour markers, black outer minute track, gilt spade hands with subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o'clock.

Case number: 792768

LIP is a French watch and clock company, founded by Emmanuel Lipman in 1867, and based in Besançon in eastern France.

The firm launched the Lip stopwatch in 1896. They built approximately 2,500 pieces per year. The company launched the first electronic watch in 1952, called "Electronic" (considered 'electronic' rather than electric due to the presence of a diode). The first 'Electronic' models were worn by Charles de Gaulle and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower; while previously in 1948, LIP's iconic T18 model was offered to Winston Churchill.

The company is still in existence today, manufacturing watches in Besançon, with modified quartz and automatic movements from Switzerland or Japan.