English centre seconds duplex for the Chinese market Circa 1820

Gold duplex pear shaped watch
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A very fine and extremely rare English 18 Carat gold, enamel and pearl set pear shaped centre seconds duplex pocket watch made for the Chinese market, circa 1820. Case in the form of a pear, the front bezel set with split pearls, the band, stem and bow decorated with pale green, blue, white and red champlevé enamel, hinged and sprung scallop edged back cover with a finely painted panel of summer flowers and fruit within a gold and enamel wavy line border. Hinged and sprung gold cuvette overlaid with translucent guilloché scarlet enamel within a gold, white and pale green enamel scalloped border. White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals and outer minute and seconds divisions, Arabic quarter hour numerals and blued steel pierced hands. Gilt movement, Chinese calibre, foliate chased and engraved, standing barrel, duplex escapement, three arm gold balance, blued steel flat balance spring, diamond endstone, index regulator. Movement signed.
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Dimensions: 63 x 53 mm
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Signed: Ilbery London
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William Ilbery (circa 1760-1839). Active in London from 1780 in Goswell Street, he moved to Duncan Terrace towards the end of the 18th century. After James Cox in London and Jaquet Droz in Switzerland, he also specialized in the production of luxury watches for the Chinese market. His early production was very much in the English style, featuring a full plate movement and an English-type single-wheel duplex escapement. However, for his highest-quality watches, he incorporated a spring detent escapement. Later, the watch movements he produced were much inspired by the Lépine calibre with a free-standing barrel, as were Jaquet Droz’s Swiss production signed in London and that of William Anthony, who worked in London. The cases of his watches were sumptuously decorated by the best Genevan enamellers, such as Jean-Francois-Victor Dupont, who usually signed his work, and Jean-Louis Richter, who signed rarely. He organized the production in Switzerland, mainly in Fleurier, of profusely engraved movements for the Asian market. He was followed in this by makers such as Bovet and Juvet who also worked in Fleurier (Val de Travers). Ilbery can therefore be considered one of the most representative makers of ‘Chinese’ watches. He seems to have maintained close contacts with the continental trade since a watch signed ‘Ilbery Paris’ is known and Ilbery & Son are recorded in London and Fleurier, as well as in Canton.