Fine English 20 carat gold repoussé pocket watch Circa 1780

Gold open faced key winding verge
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A fine English 20 carat gold repoussé pair cased pocket watch, made by Naas in London, circa 1780. Repoussé outer case, the bezel chased with scrolls and small animals, the back with a scene depicting Venus and Cupid with outer profile portraits, animals and further scrolled decoration. Inner double body bassine, polished. White enamel dial with Roman numerals in the center, Arabic numerals on the outer minute ring and decorative gold hands. A hinged, gilt brass full plate movement with baluster pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain brass three arm balance, flat balance spring and gilt brass English style cock. Signature on the dial, case and movement.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Signed: Naas, London
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Some hairlines on the dial.
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John Naas was a prominent watchmaker in London during the mid 18^th century. He specialized in making high-quality pocket watches that were renowned for their accuracy and craftsmanship. Naas was particularly skilled in creating watches with intricate movements and complicated mechanisms, such as repeaters and chronographs. He also produced watches with decorative features, such as enamel dials and ornate cases. One of Naas’ most significant contributions to watchmaking was his development of the lever escapement. This mechanism, which is still used in watches today, replaced the earlier verge escapement and greatly improved the accuracy of timekeeping. Naas’ lever escapement was widely adopted by other watchmakers in London and beyond, and it helped establish London as a centre of excellence for watchmaking.