English hour striking verge in silver pair cases Circa 1685

Early silver pair cased clockwatch
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An English hour striking verge in silver pair cases, circa 1685. Deep full plate fire gilt movement with two tulip pillars and three turned baluster pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Wound through the plain two-arm steel balance and pierced and engraved cock with small vestigial wings, pierced and engraved foot. Silver regulator disc and small silver countwheel. Decorative blue steel gates controlling the striking of the hours on a bell in the case. Later signed one-piece silver champlevé with Roman and Arabic numerals, blue steel tulip and poker hands. Fine silver inner case with early open piercing finely engraved with foliage and flowers, silver pendant and ring bow. Pierced and engraved silver outer. Maker’s mark ‘WS’ below a coronet.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Depth: 17.5 mm
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Signed: John Pepys London
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John Pepys, London, apprenticed 1672, Clockmakers company 1680 and Master 1707 – 1715. The outer is most probably a replacement made for the watch early in its life by William Sherwood who was favored by Thomas Tompion.