English gold, painted enamel and pearl-set watch Circa 1820

Gold duplex watch for the Chinese market
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A very fine English 18K gold, enamel and pearl-set open faced duplex pocket watch made for the Chinese market, circa 1820. The gift. The enamel is attributed to the workshop of Abraham Lissignol. Two-body Empire case, fixed bezel, the band with split-pearl inlaid in champlevé decoration, split pearl-set bezels, pendant and bow also with champlevé enamelled decoration, the back with a polychrome enamel scene depicting two young women and a boy in a classical dress within a landscape, a blue vase of roses and poppies on a table in between, one of the women gestures to the flowers. Hinged gold cuvette fitted to the movement ring and decoratively engraved. White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track, subsidiary seconds and gold ovoid hands. Gilt-brass movement, entirely engraved, Chinese calibre, with a  free-standing barrel, single wheel duplex escapement, bimetallic compensation balance with wedge-shaped blued steel weights, flat balance spring, diamond endstone, index regulator. Movement signed.
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Diameter: 59 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.
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Jean Abraham Lissignol was a Swiss painter, revolutionary and one of the finest enamellers of his time. He was born in Geneva on May 7th, 1749 and died in Plainpalais on June 28th, 1819. He was the pupil of Jean-Marc Roux and later became his partner. Specialized in snuff boxes and watch cases, he worked for Jaquet-Droz & Leschot, the Rochat Brothers and John Rich.