Swiss quarter repeater in triple cases

A mid 18th century Swiss quarter repeating verge watch, in red lacquer and repousse silver gilt triple cases.

MOVEMENT : Gilt movement with verge escapement. The balance cock is finely pierced and engraved, with with a pink endstone. Blued steel screws. The movement is very much in the English style of the period.

Signed Isaac Soret and numbered 3480.

All in very good condition and running well. There is a small slot on the edge of the dial plate at 7 from which a pulse piece would have originally protruded. Like so many repeating watches of the period, this is now missing.

The repeating mechanism strikes the hours and quarters, with two steel hammers on the bell which is screwed to the inside of the inner case. The repeat on the hour is about five minutes out of sync, with the strike only catching up at five minutes past the hour.

Nice clear strong chimes.

The movement is protected by a removable gilt dust cap, signed and numbered as the movement.

DIAL : White enamel dial. In good condition, though with a very small flake at the centre, and some short hairlines across the edge at 5 and 6.

Good fancy gilt or gold hands.

INNER CASE : Silver gilt, pierced and engraved throughout.

In good condition. The high dome crystal and the hinge are good and the bezel snaps shut. The gilding is almost complete with a few rubs where the silver shows through, and more wear to the stem and bow.

The bell is in good condition and strikes with a clear chime. It is a little smaller than normal, so probably a replacement

MIDDLE CASE : Silver gilt repousse case, engraved throughout and pierced to bezel and band.

Again in good condition throughout. The hinge and catch are fine and the bezel snaps shut. The catch button is present but dented. There is wear to the highpoints of the repousse work, but no holes. There is also some wear to the gilding on the rim of the bezel.

OUTER CASE : Red lacquer on gilt brass.

The lacquer is almost complete with just one small chip on the bezel at the catch, and five small chips to the base. The gilt ‘flowerhead’ pins are complete on the bezel and back. Just one of the sound holes (on the bezel) is missing the gilt suround.

The hinge, catch button and catch are fine and the bezel snaps shut.

Isaac Soret is listed in Geneva in the mid 18th century. He died in 1760.