Early English gold minute repeating lever Circa 1826-1827

Gold repeating lever watch by Charles J. Cope
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A fine, extremely rare and very early English 18 carat gold open faced minute repeating lever pocket watch, Hallmarked London 1826-1827. Frosted gilt 3/4 plate movement, ringed cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, maintaining power, the barrel secured by a plate, lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold and platinum meantime and temperature adjustment screws, Breguet balance spring with overcoil, index regulator, repeating on blued steel gongs activated by depressing the pendant. Gold hinged cuvette. Gold dial with applied Roman numerals, outer vari-coloured gold grape and vine leaf border, engine turned centre, subsidiary seconds and original gold pear hands. Large case, engine turned and polished, reeded band. Movement signed.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: C.J. Cope London
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Watches with minute repeating from this period are extremely rare particularly from England. Most of the very few minute repeating watches at this time were made in Switzerland.
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Charles John Cope recorded as working in London between 1815 and 1830, he was an expert on Earnshaw’s chronometers.