Early and large French gilt brass onion pocket watch Circa 1700

Gold open faced key winding verge watch
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A fine and historically significant French gilt brass open faced onion (oignon) pocket watch made by Gilles Martinot in Paris, circa 1700. This watch has a mechanical key winding full plate movement with a verge escapement, chain fusee, spiral balance, and an advance/retard adjustment disc. The backplate features a beautifully chased and pierced continental balance cock supported by ornately decorated pillars, signed Gilles Martinot à Paris. The white enamel dial shows bold black Roman numerals for the hours, an outer railroad minute track with Arabic five minute numerals from 5 to 60, ornate stylized gilt hands, and a winding aperture near 3 o’clock.
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The timepiece is housed in a substantial, hinged, round gilt brass onion case with a reverse back cover deeply engraved and chased with dense, detailed, continuous Baroque floral decorations and scrollwork, completed by a prominent winding stem and a sturdy round suspension bow.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Weight: 145.2 g
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Signed: Gilles Martinot à Paris
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The maker of this outstanding early timepiece, Gilles Martinot (1658–1726), belonged to one of the most illustrious and powerful watchmaking dynasties in French history. His family held the coveted title of Horlogers du Roi (Clockmakers to the King) for several generations, serving Louis XIV. The distinctive, deeply bulbous oignon case design represents the height of Parisian luxury horology at the turn of the 18th century. Master watchmakers like Martinot used these large, heavy gilt brass frames to showcase both high precision engineering and the finest decorative chasing techniques. Surviving examples from this golden era are exceedingly rare and highly sought after by collectors.