English 18K yellow gold open faced pocket watch Circa 1790

Gold open faced key winding verge watch
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A fine English 18 carat yellow gold open faced pocket watch made by Sleightholm, circa 1790. This watch has a mechanical key winding fire gilded brass movement with a verge fusee escapement, an intricately pierced and chased balance cock decorated with detailed scrollwork, and a silver regulation disc signed Sleightholm. The white enamel dial features a single winding aperture, black Roman numerals for the hours, fine outer minute dots, and gold arrow style hands. The timepiece is housed in an exceptionally fine round three body, 18 carat solid yellow gold open faced case. It features a bezel set with a continuous row of split pearls over a blue enamel base, a reverse back cover finished in translucent royal blue enamel over a finely guilloché sunburst pattern framed by a matching split pearl border, a cylindrical winding stem decorated with blue enamel chevrons, a sturdy round suspension bow, and a solid 18 carat gold inner protective cuvette.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Weight: 94.6 g
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Signed: Sleightholm
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The name Sleightholm refers to a respected family of traditional English clock and watchmakers active in Lincolnshire during the eighteenth century, with workshop connections to London. The family workshop achieved high acclaim for crafting handmade longcase and bracket clocks before expanding into high end pocket watches during the late Georgian era. English makers of this period were globally renowned for their robust engineering and technical durability. Sleightholm distinguished themselves with beautifully hand finished, fire gilded brass movements using the traditional verge fusee layout. When a technically superior Sleightholm movement was paired with luxury aesthetic features such as royal blue guilloché enamel and split pearl borders, it represented an elite commission designed exclusively for the wealthiest echelons of society.