105 - École d'horlogerie Neuchâtel - School Watch

École d'horlogerie Neuchâtel - School Watch (*) An ornamental Swiss graduate's pocket watch in a niello-silver case, made at the Neuchâtel watchmaking school Movement No. 711, Caliber École, Case No. 711, Dimensions 53 mm, circa 1925, Weight 111 g, Origin: Switzerland Case: Niello silver, spike decoration, shield with monogram, case maker’s punch mark “Niel HF” (Huguenin Frères / Huguenin Frères & Co. / Fabrique Niel). Dial: Enamel. Movement: Bridge movement, lever escapement, screw-compensated balance. The École d’horlogerie de Neuchâtel (Neuchâtel Watchmaking School) was a historic Swiss technical school for watchmaking in the canton of Neuchâtel. Institutions of this kind, founded in the 19th and early 20th centuries, were established to train fully qualified watchmakers and to counteract the subsequent shortage of skilled labor caused by highly specialized, division-of-labor production methods. Graduates of these watchmaking schools often built their own pocket watches or movements as final examination pieces. Today, these watches—known as École d’Horlogerie (e.g., from Neuchâtel or Le Locle)—are traded as rare collector’s items. Case: very good. Dial: very good. Movement: very good, in working order, cleaning recommended.