French gold, enamel and pearl set lever pendant watch Circa 1880

Gold and enamel pearl set open faced keyless lever by Paul Garnier
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A very fine French 18 carat gold, enamel and pearl set open faced keyless lever pendant watch, circa 1880. Matte gilt movement, 15 jewels, wolf’s tooth winding, straight-line moustache lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator. Hinged gold cuvette. White enamel dial with blue Arabic numerals, outer minute track and large gold Arabic five-minute numerals, original gold Louis XV hands. Louis XV-style case, polished, square hinge, the bezel and bow set with seed pearls, the hinged back decorated with an en grisaille foliate monogram on an oval matte ground, translucent royal blue border painted with white scrolls, seed pearl-set border, the interior with engraved presentation inscription.
Cuvette signed, case and movement numbered. Accompanied by a Paul Garnier box.
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Diameter: 35 mm
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Signed: Paul Garnier M.cien H.er de la Marine
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The enamel technique used for the monogram of this watch is interesting and takes its inspiration from the French Limoges School which used this form of grisaille with careful light and dark shading to give the impression of depth.
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A grisaille (en grisaille), or grey painting, is a painting in which one does not apply natural colours but restricts oneself to depicting things in all possible shades of the same colour, usually grey or brown.