English gold ruby cylinder pocket watch Circa 1805

Gold ruby cylinder watch by Louis Recordon
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A heavy English gentleman’s pocket watch with ruby cylinder escapement, circa 1805.
An 18 Carat gold engine-turned case with an engraved family crest, engine-turned band, case maker’s punch mark LC (Louis Comptesse), and signed movement protection cap. A gold dial with an engine-turned centre, applied Arabic gold numerals, auxiliary seconds at 5, and gold Breguet hands. And a signed, keywind, frosted, gilt full plate movement with chain/fusee, ruby cylinder, three-arm steel balance, blued balance spring with bimetallic compensation curb on the index, fine florally engraved balance cock, and regulator tail according to Bosley with compensation curb.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Weight: 130 g
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Signed: Louis Recordon, London
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Louis Recordon
Louis Recordon was a native of Switzerland and his first workshop in London was in Greek Street in Soho around 1778. In 1795 Josiah Emery’s widow sold him the premises at 38 Cockspur Street and he began working with Charles Dupont; however, they parted in anger around 1800. Recordon signed his early pieces with “Recordon, late Emery, London”. He was also the London representative for A.L. Breguet and the first maker in England to produce a self-winding pocket watch, for which he received the patent no. 1,249. After 1814 Peter Des Granges – who had been Recordon’s employee – took over the business that was now located at 33 Cockspur Street and continued it until 1842, when it was taken over by Edward John Dent.