English gold triple cased quarter repeating pocket watch Circa 1875

Gold and enamel repeating watch by Ray & Montague, London
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An English gold and enamel triple cased quarter repeating watch made for the Turkish market, circa 1816. The gilded full plate movement features a verge escapement, polished flat steel three-arm balance, a decoratively pierced and foliate-engraved balance cock with a broad asymmetrical foot, a diamond endstone, and two steel hammers repeating on a bell mounted to the inside case back. It also includes a gilt metal dust ring, a backplate signed and numbered by Ray & Montague of London (no. 1875), and a bell scratch signed by Drury. The dial is white enamel with Turkish numerals, an outer minute ring, gold pierced hands, and signed Ray & Montague London.
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The watch has three cases. The 18k gold inner case has chased and engraved gold foliage on the back, with a stylized translucent red enamel flower head in the centre, surrounded by similar red enamel roundels and an open roundel for the winding aperture. The band is decoratively pierced for sound emission and engraved, highlighted with opaque white translucent blue and red enamel. The bezel is adorned with semi-circular red enamel roundels bordered with opaque white enamel, a barley twist enamel decoration, and diamonds. It hallmarked London 1816, and the maker’s mark is AN incuse. The middle case is 22k gold, with a back featuring a polychrome enamel-painted bouquet of flowers against a pale pink translucent enamel ground over engine-turning. Both bezels are pierced and have a pink enamel ground interspersed with light pink enamel stars and translucent red enamel flowers. The inner bezels are further enamel decorated, hallmarked with the Sun in Splendour and the London date letter for 1816, with the maker’s mark AN incuse. The gold outer case is glazed to the back, with bezels adorned with pink and translucent red flowers against a green enamel ground. The inner bezel is further enamel decorated, with London hallmarks 1816.
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Diameter inner case: 35 mm
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Diameter mid case: 43 mm
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Diameter outer case: 50 mm
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Signed: Ray & Montague, London
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The movement shows light scuffs and scratches on the plates. The repeating function is not currently operational, but the pendant did wind the repeating train. It may be gummed up due to old oil. The dial has a hairline crack from the centre towards 6 o’clock, with some scratches. There is one scratch that is more noticeable, running across the upper half. The inner case has some small chips and losses to the enamel decoration, but the overall decorative scheme of this part is good. There are repairs and restorations to the enamel on the pendant’s shaft. The middle case appears to be restored in hard enamel and has some small chips and losses, most noticeably in the translucent red border surrounding the central panel. The outer case has small chips and losses to the enamel, with two flowers having more significant losses to their pink petals.
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Since the 18th century, watches made for the Turkish market have often been encased in triple or quadruple layers. Initially, this was done for protection, as travellers explained it was to prevent damage from pistols at the belt. Over time, this practice became customary for the more elaborate and ornately decorated enamel watches destined for the Turkish market, featuring a variety of decorative panels including Turkish landscapes, floral bouquets, military trophies, and arabesques. Green, pink, red, and blue enamels were particularly common in these decorative schemes.