A very rare mid-19th-century Swiss jumping centre-seconds lever watch made for the Chinese market, housed in a silver-gilt and enamel open-face case. The key-wound gilt-bar movement is richly engraved and signed with the Chinese Bovet mark. The bridges are secured by blued steel screws, and the suspended going barrel features blued steel stopwork with decorative engraving. The movement includes a sector-shaped cock, polished steel regulator, and a three-arm polished steel balance with three blued steel affixes and a blued steel spiral hairspring. This exceptionally rare lever escapement allows the centre-seconds hand to beat in seconds.

The white enamel centre-seconds dial displays slender Roman numerals with blued steel hands. The silver-gilt open-face case is decorated with a bezel set with a row of large split pearls, while the back depicts a bird of paradise in a mountainous landscape on a pale blue ground. The silver-gilt oval pendant and bow are also set with split pearls. The watch is wound and set through the glazed sprung cuvette with engraved gilt bezel. The inside of the back cover bears the Chinese Bovet signature and a number matching that on the movement.