Late 17thc. silver hand alarm watch

A late 17th century, single handed, French alarm, with a fine original champleve dial.

MOVEMENT : This alarm movement, with verge escapement has a very large engraved and pierced balance cock, of the English style. The balance cock is finely decorated with birds and fish, with a large mask to the neck. There is a small steel coquerette at the centre of the balance cock table (typical of French movements of the period), four finely made pillars, and an engraved alarm spring barrel.

Signed Clerc A Avignon.

Two winding arbors, one which winds the fusee, and the other winds the alarm strike spring. The single hand is driven directly from the fusee, as with most single handed movements.

The movement is in good condition, though there are old repairs to the contrate wheel (solder visible) and the corners have broken off the balance cock foot.
The movement is running well and the alarm is functioning correctly.

DIAL : Fine silver champleve dial, with central alarm disk.

Very good condition.

The time is indicated by the small hand on the edge of the alarm disk. This is set by turning the central disk (clockwise).
The single hand which is attached to the central arbor is the alarm hand. The alarm is set by using the key on the central arbor to turn the arbor (clockwise) until this hand points at the desired time number on the alarm disk.
When setting the alarm, the alarm disk should be held so that the time hand stays at the correct time, but as the watch runs and the time moves forward then the alarm hand will move with the alarm disk.

CASE : Silver, with a mounted steel bell.

There are a few small dents but generally all in good condition.
The bell, screwed to the inside is fine with no damage or repairs. The high dome crystal is also fine.

The plain case is not pierced with sound holes so is possibly a replacement, and if so then probably made specially for this movement.