English gold, moss agate, paste set repeating verge Circa 1770

Attractive gold pair cased quarter repeater by James Cox
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A very fine, rare and attractive English 18 carat gold, moss agate and paste set pair cased quarter repeating keywound verge watch, circa 1770. Gilt finished verge movement, chain fusée, quarter repeating on two hammers onto a bell, gilt dust cap. White enamel dial with Roman numerals, blued steel poker and beetle hands. Pierced and engraved band, back centred by an engraved floral branch, the outer case inset with moss agate panels between red paste set borders, similarly decorated bezel, red paste set thumbpiece, repeating through the pendant. Movement and dust cap signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 38 mm
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Signed: James Cox
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A fine example of the extraordinary timepieces made by the celebrated watch- and clockmaker James Cox for his Chinese clientele, often by special order. It features all the ingredients favoured by the Oriental connoisseur, such as sumptuously decorated gold cases and complicated movements incorporating repeating mechanisms. The 18th century watch- and clockmaker and entrepreneur James Cox (1723-1788) is particularly reputed for his work destined to the Chinese market. His watches and automaton clocks were often presented to the Chinese Emperor Qian Long as a gift. Several of these timepieces can still be found in the collection of the Museum of the Forbidden City in Beijing (see also Timepieces, The Forbidden City Publishing House). Initially a manufacturer, James Cox then became an entrepreneur following the success of his automaton clocks, oriental clocks and watches, appealing mainly to customers from China, India and the Far East. His lavishly decorated luxury pieces enjoyed enormous success in these regions and consequently, James Cox concentrated on these markets. This trade added considerably to his reputation, to such an extent and so successfully that, by 1770, he owned a company with several hundred employees. Today, exceptional clocks and watches from the workshops of James Cox can be found in the world’s most distinguished collections and museums.