Oversized Exhibition Case, Skeleton Verge

A very large, and unusual late 18th century English verge watch, in gem set gilt exhibition case, with a skeletonised movement.

MOVEMENT : A beautiful gilt fusee movement, with verge escapement, engraved and heavily pierced throughout, including the mainspring barrel. Blued screws, four square baluster pillars and with the regulator set into the jewelled balance cock.

Running well, and in very good condition. The gilding is still bright and the engraving and piercing very well done.

Signed on the foot of the balance cock “Rix” and numbered 51.

DIAL : A large white enamel dial, with subsidiary seconds. In reasonable condition, with some surface scratches and two repairs – a tiny chip on the edge at 6 and another repair around the winding aperture.

Blued steel hour and minute hands, and a steel seconds hand (this looks like a replacement).

CASE : Gilt, engraved to both bezels, with purple stone (or glass?) borders to both back and front bezels. Exhibition crystal to the back.

The gilding is good condition and still bright. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut. Both high dome crystals are fine with just some short light scratches. The crystal borders are complete, though there are a few small chips to some stones and one stone, on the back near the catch, appears to have been reattached to the bezel.

This watch is very much in the style of William Carpenter, London, who was also working around 1780 and producing similar, large ornate watches, often indented for the Eastern market.