English 18 carat gold half quarter repeating cylinder watch Circa 1725

Gold decorative repeating key wound watch by John Ellicott
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An English 18 carat gold and enamel open faced half quarter repeating key wound pocket watch, circa 1700-1750. The movement with an early cylinder escapement.
White enamel dial with Roman hours, an outer minute track, outermost Arabic five minute numerals and blued poker & beetle hands. The case is decoratively engraved and enhanced with blue enamel. Movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Weight: 88 g
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Signed: Ellicott London
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John Ellicott (London, 1706 – 1772 ) was an eminent English clock and watchmaker as well as an inventor of the 18th century. His father John Ellicott the Elder, a Cornishman, also was a clockmaker who had been admitted to the Clockmakers’ Company in 1696. He died in 1733. John Ellicott the Younger joined his father’s workshop in London in 1728 and became one of the most important watchmakers in England at the time. He conducted business first from Austin Friars Street EC2 and later from Swithin’s Alley, Royal Exchange. In 1738, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.

Ellicott showed a keen interest in scientific matters and maintained an observatory at his home in Hackney, parish of St. John, where he observed the planet Venus. He is best known for his work on temperature compensated pendulums which he developed in 1753, he further improved the cylinder escapement and invented the center second for pocket watches. Ellicott made many bracket clocks, was a clockmaker to King George III and edited several technical papers. He was married and of this marriage, five children were born, two sons Edward and John and three unmarried daughters, Deborah, Mary and Elizabeth. His son Edward joined the business in 1760. Over their twelve year partnership, their clocks were simply signed Ellicott London. John Ellicott died unexpectedly as a widower in 1772 in Hackney. His son Edward continued the workshop. He died in 1791.