Unusual English gold quarter-repeating watch Circa 1787

Gold open faced watch with centre seconds
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An unusually large English 18K gold pair-cased, centre-seconds, quarter-repeating pocket watch with stop feature, circa 1787. The case with London hallmarks for 1787-88. Outer case polished, sprung with release catch. Inner case, band engraved with flowers and foliage and pierced for sound, centre engraved with rosette. Gilt dust cap. Eccentric, white enamel dial, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Arabic numerals, outer seconds dial with fifths of second divisions and Arabic five-second numerals. Gold beetle and poker hands.
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Hinged, frosted gilt full-plate movement with cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain with Harrison’s maintaining power, cylinder escapement, steel balance with flat balance spring, large diamond endstone, singlefooted cock, balance and escape wheel jewelled, stop lever at 8 o’clock, repeating on a bell activated by depressing the pendant. Dial, movement and dust cap signed.
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Diameter: 64 mm
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Signed: Jessop  London
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A high-quality jewelled watch was made when jewelling was reserved for only the best pieces. Josiah Jessop worked in London, where he is recorded circa 1780-1794, at 38 Southampton St., Covent Garden. A centre-seconds watch made by him was in the Ilbert collection, now in the British Museum; a gold and enamel watch by him was in the Sternberger collection; another is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.