English gold enamel pocket watch of museum quality Circa 1790

Gold pocket watch with half pearls and diamonds by William Anthony
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An important gold enamel English pocket watch of museum quality with jumping central seconds and duplex pin lever escapement, circa 1790. Studded with half pearls and diamonds and produced for the Chinese market.
Circular 18-carat gold case; The enamel medallion on the back has an exquisite engine-turned pattern with delicate translucent cobalt blue enamelling – the quality of the workmanship is outstanding. It is decorated with applied gold fillets with pearl ornaments; a large central diamond rosette sits within a circle of pearls. The rim is decorated with polychrome champlevé motifs of opaque light blue and translucent red and blue borders. The bezels on both sides are studded with half pearls, as are the pendant and bow. This is a striking watch in extraordinarily fine condition. Enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, outer minutes/seconds track with Arabic fifteen minutes/seconds numerals, centre seconds hand, and gold arrow hands. Bridge movement, gilt, lavishly florally engraved, five-arm steel balance, duplex escapement. Cuvette and movement signed.
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Diameter: 64 mm
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Weight: 154 g
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Signed: William Anthony, London
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William Anthony (1765-1844) worked in Red Lion Street, St. John’s Square, Clerkenwell, and specialised in watches for the Chinese market.
Watches by William Anthony very rarely appear on the market. From a study of the public collections and the auction market over the last 50 years, we learn that only 17 oval watches (from which 6 with expanding hands) and 15 round watches are known to exist.