English gold and enamel verge for the Spanish market Circa 1810

Gold and enamel repeater in pair cases by Higgs & Evans
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A decorative English 18 carat gold and enamel pair cased half quarter repeating verge pocket watch made for the Spanish market, circa 1810. Full plate movement, chain and fusee, two hammers and a three arm steel balance. White enamel dial with Roman hours, outer minute divisions, Arabic five minute numerals and decorative hands. The back of the outer case shows a fine miniature polychrome enamel painting of Angelique et Medor, two figures from the 16th century work Orlando Furioso by the Italian author Ludovico Ariosto, the scene is framed by two rows of small white enamel beads and translucent violet enamel on a wave shaped guilloché ground, both bezels are decorated with a classic ornamental frieze made of white, red and gold champlevé enamel, the inner case with an engraved heron in anger on the back surrounded by a cartouche made of rocailles, a city view on the pendant and a grotesque mask on the opener, the edge with a surrounding band of pierced and engraved stylized flowers, a bottom bell. Dial signed, dust cap and movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Weight: 119 g
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Signed: Higgs Y Evans Londres
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The half quarter note repeater has an unusual beat sequence: the last eighth note is struck not BEFORE but AFTER the double beats.
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Higgs & Evans were highly respected clockmakers who made grandfather and table clocks as well as pocket watches. They worked first at Sweetings Alley and later at the Royal Exchange. The company was founded in 1775 and existed until 1825. The company specialized in making timepieces for the Spanish market. Some of their work can be seen in the Science Museum.