English octagonal enamel and rock crystal watch Circa 1640

Gold enamel and rock crystal verge watch
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A very fine and rare English gold, enamel and rock crystal octagonal verge pocket watch with later movement, case and dial, circa 1640. Gilded custom made full plate movement (circa 1750), verge escapement, plain flat three arm balance, decoratively pierced and engraved masked balance cock, fusee and chain.
Gold dial decorated with cloisonné and champlevé enamel flowers and leaves in colours of blue, green, orange and turquoise against a white background, gold chapter ring with black enamel Roman numerals, blued steel double ended floriated hand. Gold and faceted rock crystal case, the bezels and pendant decorated with opaque white and turquoise enamel, silver gilt octagonal faceted outer case, further outer leather covered protective case lined with green velvet.
Movement signed and numbered.
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Length: 46 mm
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Width: 24 mm
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Signed: David Hubert London
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Few enamel cased watches have survived from this period, and many extant examples have had their original movements removed or replaced, as in this instance. The movement of this watch was custom made by the 18th-century maker David Hubert and designed to work as a single handed movement. The original octagonal dial plate has been retained, and some effort has been made to complement the original movement style.
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An oval rock crystal watch by John Ramsay with very similar enamel decoration to this watch can be found in the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers collection, displayed at the Science Museum in London.
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David Hubert was an eminent London watchmaker of the 18th century. He was a Freeman of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1714 and was made Master in 1743. Examples of his watches are found in the Science Museum, London and the Dennison Collection.