English gold and enamel duplex pocket watch Circa 1820

Gold watch with the scene of the Road to Santiago de Compostella 
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A very fine English 18 gold, painted on enamel pocket watch with duplex escapement, circa 1820. The enamel attributed to Hess, Geneva. An Empire case, the hinged back cover decorated with a scene of the Road to Santiago de Compostella, very finely painted on enamel in the manner of Hess, depicting a priest wearing two scallop shells on his cassock helping a young lady on the road. The bezel is decorated with engraved gold, red, black and blue enamel, the stem and bow decorated with white, red and turquoise enamel, hinged and sprung back gold cover. White enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer minute track, centre seconds and gold heart hands. A gilt brass fully engraved movement, Chinese calibre, free standing barrel, ruby duplex escapement, plain steel three arm balance, flat balance spring, diamond endstone.
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Diameter: 58 mm
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Signed: Ilbery  London
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William Ilbery (ca. 1760-1839). Active in London from 1780 in Goswell Street, he moved to Duncan Terrace towards the end of the 18th century. Following James Cox in London and Jaquet Droz in Switzerland, he also specialised 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 Lepine calibre with free-standing barrel, as were Jaquet Droz’s Swiss production signed in London and that of William Anthony, who worked in London. Little is known about the enamel painter Hess, who is recorded at 42, Allemands – Dessous, Geneva, in 1828. His work is of extremely high quality, and it is likely that his unsigned work has often been mistaken for the work of Jean-Louis Richter. The large almond shaped eyes of the subjects seem to be an identifying feature of his work. A fine watch for the Chinese market, the enamel signed by Hess.