Important French gold and enamel repeating virgule watch Circa 1800

Gold quarter repeater attributed to Jean-Antoine Lépine
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A very important French 18 carat gold, enamel, diamond and pearl-set quarter repeating virgule pocket watch, circa 1800. Sold by Le Cointe & Albert Chaise Place Vendome No. 26, Paris. Very fine movement, repeating the hours and quarter hours, Lépine calibre in the manner of the time around 1800 with virgule escapement. White enamel dial with Arabic hours and outer minute divisions, rose gold hands. Glazed protective case, half-pearl-set on both sides, diamonds, engine-turned and translucent blue enamel on the back, a large diamond in centre (circa Ø 7 mm). Accompanied by the original box with a compartment for probably the original key.
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Diameter: 58 mm
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Weight: 120 g
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Signed: No name
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This watch is a rarity, with only a few comparable pieces noted. Most of these pocket watches equipped with this movement were made with simple gold cases.
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Jean-Antoine Lépine was born on 18th November 1720 in Challex, France. After his apprenticeship of watchmaking, he went to Paris in 1744 and joined the workshop of André Charles Caron. In the times of 1750 Lépine invented the virgule escapement. In 1756 he married the daughter of his business partner Caron. In 1762 he successfully completed his mastership examination and was announced to Royal Watchmaker of the Court of Louis XV. He kept his title during the era of Ludwig XVI and Napoleon. In 1769 Caron left the company at the age of 72 and Lépine became the only director. In 1770 Lépine invented the Lépine calibre, which is named after him and which revolutionized the pocket watch movement.