English 18 carat gold pocket watch with seconds stop Circa 1810

Technically interesting watch with Massey escapement
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A technically interesting, heavy Liverpool gold watch with Massey escapement & second stop, made by H. Mortimer in Liverpool, England, circa 1810. The numbered open faced case of this watch was crafted from 18 carat gold, has the maker’s mark “LM”, a relief edge and is engine turned on the back lid. The enamel dial has Roman hour numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock and blued steel hands with a stop seconds function. The rare Massey movement has a lever escapement with large balance wheel, a large sapphire bearing jewels and the original dust cover.
Case and movement have matching numbers and the movement is signed.
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Diameter: 51 mm
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Weight: 113 g
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Signed: H. Mortimer, Liverpool
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Edward Massey
Edward Massey (1772 – 1852) was a Coventry maker who patented a detached lever escapement in 1815. This was the first introduction of a simple inexpensively made lever escapement in England. He developed the crank roller escapement which has five variations amongst which a very unusual movement that has a very open construction, making the escapement clearly visible.
He retailed few watches under his own name but made them for other makers.
One rarely finds the Massey movements, which were only manufactured for a very short time, in a magnificent 18 carat gold case.
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Mortimer
Mortimer & Hunt, London, 1839-1843. John Hunt, son of John Samuel Hunt, became a third partner in the company Storr & Mortimer when Paul Storr retired on December 31, 1838. From then on the firm traded as Mortimer & Hunt. Upon the retirement of John Mortimer in 1843, new partners Robert Roskell and C.F. Hancock joined the company, which now continued to do business as Hunt & Roskell.