French gilt-brass coquille-form verge pendant watch Circa 1630

Gilt-brass single-handed pendant watch by Noël Cusin
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A very fine and extremely rare French gilt-brass pre-balance spring single-handed coquille-form verge pendant watch, circa 1630. Oval gilt brass movement, baluster pillars, fusee with chain, short four-wheel train with five-leaf pinions, verge escapement, three-arm brass foliot with vertical baking pins on the rim, elongated cock with small foot, pierced and engraved with flowering foliage, secured by a pin, ratchet wheel and click mainspring set-up. Oval gilt-brass dial, sprung latch, engraved chapter ring with Roman hour numerals with arrow half-hour divisions, the centre engraved with scrolling foliage, outer border engraved with scrolling foliage and fruit, original steel tulip hand. Shell-form case, gadrooned and engraved with foliate scrolls, pendant with loose ring, hinged shell-form cover, unusual hinged catch, the interiors engraved with pounced formal foliage. Movement signed.
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Dimensions excl. pendant: 33 x 29 mm
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Signed: Noël Cusin Autun France
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The Cusins were a family of French watchmakers whose ancestor, Charles, had emigrated from Autun to Geneva, and is considered responsible for introducing watchmaking to that city. He became a resident in Geneva on July 12, 1574. His halfbrother Noël (1587 – 1656), the maker of this piece, was considered one of the most important watchmakers in the city.