French gold quarter repeating cylinder pocket watch Circa 1808

Gold open faced quarter repeater by Le Roy
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A very fine and rare French 18 carat gold and enamel open faced quarter repeating cylinder pocket watch, circa 1808. Frosted gilt movement, standing barrel, cylinder escapement, three-armed gold balance, flat balance spring, index regulator, all-or-nothing repeating on two gongs activated by depressing the pendant. Gold cuvette with apertures for winding, hand-setting and regulation secured by a screw. White enamel dial by Lucard, gold-painted Breguet hours, outer minute track and gold Breguet hands. Polished case by Amy Gros, the glazed hinged back set with a finely painted on enamel miniature by Jean-Francois Soiron, the counter enamel inscribed Mme. Adele Lucas, née Le Roy, Paris, 1808, faceted band. Dial and cuvette signed, miniature signed on the obverse.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Signed: Le Roy Louis Simon à Paris
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Adele Le Roy was the daughter of Bazile-Charles Le Roy (1765-1839) who founded the Le Roy firm in the Palais Royal in 1785.
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Jean-François Soiron (1756-1812). A miniaturist and painter on enamel who specialized in portraits and landscapes and often decorated watch cases, Soiron was apprenticed to Jacques Teulon in Geneva from 1768 to 1773. He entered into a partnership with David Frainet and Etienne Frégent and from 1788 to 1794 was a partner of Jean Alexandre Grand. He taught several apprentices, among them François Gerbel in 1775, Groud in 1778, J.-L. Fournier in 1779, P.-A. Marguerot and Antoine Gillet in 1783, Jean-Louis Henry in 1784, François Chappuis in 1792, and finally L.A. Fabre, with whom he became associated – for just one year – in 1796. In 1799 he is known to have been a member of the Société des Arts. He emigrated shortly afterwards to Paris, where he established a business in 1800. At the Paris Salon of 1800, he exhibited three portraits and a vase of flowers, which he also exhibited in 1801. In 1804 several portraits by Soiron were exhibited in the Salon and in 1806 he presented a portrait of Napoleon on horseback and one of Vivant Denon. In 1808 Soiron exhibited portraits of Napoleon and Josephine as well as several enamel paintings and, for the last time in 1810, portraits and enamel scenes. In 1802, Soiron worked for the Sèvres porcelain factory. He died in Paris in 1812.