French gold pair cased repeating repoussé verge Circa 1725

Gold repoussé quarter repeater by Jean Louis Argand
–
An extremely fine French 20 carat gold pair cased quarter repeating verge repoussé pocket watch, circa 1725. Early verge movement, repeating the quarter hours, cock typical for the period 1700-1730, decorated with an angel face. Solid gold dial with Roman hours and Arabic five minutes, blued steel hands. Repoussé outer case with the mythological scene Telemachus and Calypso, French 20 carat hallmark, the inner case pierced, engraved with volutes and tendrils, cartouche with engraved mascaron, bell. Dial signed, dust cap signed.
–
Diameter: 46 mm
–
Weight: 106 g
–
Signed: J. Louis Argand
–
An extraordinary and mysterious piece. The construction of the watch is English, but the signature is French with roots in Geneva. The date of the watch due to the construction features is the early 18th century, but Jean Louis Argand is listed in the literature in the second half of the 18th century. It can therefore be assumed that this is the work of another watchmaker with the same name who worked in Paris much earlier, in the English style!