French 20 carat gold and porcelain rococo verge circa 1750

Gold and porcelain open faced watch by Theodore Avril
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A rare French gold and porcelain verge pocket watch with a rare camaieu painted scene, circa 1770. Full plate movement with chain and fusee, three-arm brass balance. White enamel dial with Roman hours, Arabic five-minute numerals and gold Louis XV hands. The porcelain case back is painted with an exquisite monochrome crimson scene depicting a classical landscape with a winged putto teasing a putto who sleeps on the ground and another putto next to them working on a log, the bezel, inside of the bezel and inside of the back are decorated to match with camaieu crimson floral motifs.
Movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 51 mm
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Weight: 108 g
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Signed: Theodore Avril
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Théodore Avril was a royal watch and clockmaker and was responsible for the clocks and watches of the Fontainbleu castle during the regency of Louis XV.
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Rococo verge watches with porcelain cases are extremely rare, especially when they are of such high quality as the present one.
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Camaïeu is a technique that employs two or three tints of a single colour, other than grey, to create a monochromatic image without regard to local or realistic colour.