English 18 Carat gold watch with translucent blue enamel Circa 1800

Gold watch made for the Islamic or Russian market
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A very fine and rare English, 18 Carat gold, enamel and pearl set pocket watch, circa 1800. Made for the Islamic or Russian Market by Ray & Montague, London, retailed by Markwick Markham Perigal, London. The back overlaid with translucent royal blue enamel over a sun ray engine turned ground, the centre with a varicoloured gold paillon rosette, the bezels set with large split pearls, white enamel line border.
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White enamel dial with Islamic numerals, outer dot minute indexes, outer Islamic five minute numerals. Rose-cut diamond set beetle and poker hands. A gilt brass movement, full plate with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, plain steel three arm balance, flat balance spring, gilt brass English cock with diamond endstone, silver regulation disc. Dial signed by Markwick Markham, movement signed by Ray & Montague.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Signed: Ray & Montague  London
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This type of delicate paillon decoration, similar to that featured on watches made in Geneva by Jaquet Droz for the English and Oriental markets, is very unusual. The elegant and sober design of the back suggests to us that the watch may have been intended for the Russian Empire, where Islamic numerals were often in demand. Many of the watches in the Kremlin Museum feature this type of numeral.