English 18k gold minute repeating pocket watch Circa 1805

Gold full hunter cylinder pocket watch
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A very fine and extremely rare English, minute repeating, 18K yellow gold fermée-type pocket watch, circa 1805. The case is made by Louis Comptesse with London hallmarks for 1805-1806. Engine-turned covers with concentric circle decoration, engine-turned band. Gold, engine-turned dial, gold Arabic chapters, outer minute divisions, eccentric winding hole. Blued steel Breguet hands. A frosted gilt, full-plate movement, fusee with chain, hanging barrel, cylinder escapement, escape wheel jewelled in screwed Chaton, under-sprung three-arm brass balance, blued steel flat balance spring, chased single footed balance cock, repeating on two opposed rectangular section steel gongs by depressing the pendant. Movement signed.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Signed: Louis Recordon  London
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The dial is oxidized.
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Louis Recordon (1756-1826) was a watchmaker originally from Sainte Croix who settled first in Geneva and then in London, he was Breguet’s friend and agent in England and was responsible for selling approximately 75 of Breguet’s watches to the British, including some to the British Monarchy. He was also one of the first to develop the self-winding watch, and in 1780 was granted “Letters Patent” by King Georges III, concerning an automatic winding mechanism. Was one of the finest case makers working in England during the early 19th century. He is recorded at 13 Bateman’s Buildings, Soho, from November 8, 1804.