French gold, silver, niëllo and diamond pocket watch Circa 1850

Gold watch with matching fob chain
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An extremely rare French yellow 18K gold, electrotype silver, niëllo and rose-cut diamond keyless pocket watch, circa 1850. With the original yellow gold and silver fob chain and a gold South African Pond of 1894. A yellow gold case with electrotype silver decoration, the bezel with an overlapping continuous pattern, the band with Vitruvian scroll pattern, a hinged back cover with a central panel depicting la chasse in high relief, the foliate border with four yellow gold trophies.
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The outermost border with continuous overlapping pattern and four yellow gold flower heads and a hinged yellow gold cuvette. Niëllo silver dial with a bird and foliate scroll design, inlaid yellow gold chapter ring with radial Roman numerals and dot half-hour divisions and rose-cut diamond-set fleur-de-lis hands. A matte gilt Swiss movement, eight jewels, wolf’s tooth winding, cylinder escapement, matte gilt three-arm balance, flat blued steel balance spring, index regulator. Cuvette signed Froment Meurice.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Signed: François-Désiré Froment-Meurice  Paris
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François-Désiré Froment-Meurice (1802-1855) Was amongst the most renowned silversmiths of mid-nineteenth century Paris. He was a historicist whose work encompassed the Renaissance, medieval and Islamic styles, typically with a profusion of ornament and combining traditional and new techniques of chasing, engraving and electrotype and electro-plating. The present watch demonstrates this combination of techniques and has the very rare feature of a nielloed dial.