French gold and enamel cylinder pendant watch Circa 1780

Gold and enamel ladies’ watch
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A fine French 18 carat gold and enamel open faced cylinder pendant watch, circa 1780. A hinged frosted gilt full plate movement with cylindrical pillars, going barrel, cylinder escapement, steel balance with flat balance spring, continental cock with polished steel endplate and an index regulator. White enamel dial with Arabic hours, an outer minute track, a winding aperture at 12 o’clock and blued steel Breguet hands. The Louis XVI case with a polychrome enamel scene on the back depicting Venus before Cupid at the altar of love in a landscape surrounded by white enamel faux pearls and outer green and blue enamel foliate decoration, the bezel is decorated to match. Movement signed.
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Diameter: 36 mm
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Signed: Vauché en la Citté à Paris
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Venus is the Roman goddess of love, originally the ancient Italian goddess of vegetation, and protector of gardens and vineyards. Later she was identified with the Greek Aphrodite. She was born from the foam of the sea. Venus was often depicted in Roman culture as a woman with a round object in her hand, for example, an apple or a mirror, but sometimes also with Cupid (the Roman god of love) or Victoria (the personified Roman goddess of victory) on her hand, and with a rudder or a dolphin too. She was a favourite subject for many artists in antiquity too.
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In classical mythology, Cupid (also Amor) is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the god of war Mars.