English half pearl set silver gilt pocket watch Circa 1840

A silver enamel pocket watch with a portrait of a young lady
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A rare gentleman’s half pearl set silver-gilt and enamel pocket watch with a portrait of a young lady, circa 1840. Made for the Chinese market.
White enamel dial with centre seconds. Bridge movement, lavishly florally engraved, the duplex escapement and five-arm steel balance.
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The exquisitely painted enamel medallion on the back is outstanding. It shows the profile portrait of a young woman against an opaque cobalt blue background.
Her hair is pinned up with flowers, and she wears a red silk dress with a fur collar, large gold earrings and a matching gold necklace.
The bezel, pendant and bow on the front are decorated with half pearls.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 125 g
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Signed: Richardson London
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Many European makers of pocket watches, who produced watches for the Chinese market, were the most renowned companies. They had branches in China and exported the movements and the wonderful enamelwork for the timepieces from England or Switzerland to China. The lavishly ornamented cases always had very distinctive decorations; the motifs have lost nothing of their appeal 200 years later, they are still highly sought after collector’s pieces. Only very few of these enamel ornaments have survived the years undamaged. This makes a watch in its original condition even more precious.