Typical French fire-gilded verge oignon pocket watch Circa 1700

Gilt oignon watch
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A French fire-gilded verge oignon pocket watch, circa 1700. Full plate movement, verge escapement, chain and fusee, three-arm brass balance. A chased and engraved fire gilt dial, blue Roman hours in white enamel cartouches with blue radial Roman numerals and black Arabic five-minute numerals also in white cartouches. The case is finely chased and engraved too, a basket filled with flowers in the centre of the reverse surrounded by flower garlands with birds, the edge is decorated with scrolls and cartouches, bows and arrows, quivers and a pair of birds. Movement signed.
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Diameter: 52 mm
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Weight: 106 g
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Signed: Marie Cne Rousseau à Paris
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This is a typical example of a French oignon watch. A large piece fitted with a simple construction and an easily readable, lovingly embellished dial. 
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H.L. Tardy‘s, Dictionnaire des horlogers Français, Paris 1972, p. 574 mentions a widow Rousseau in Paris living at Rue St-Martin around 1748.