English gold and enamel quarter repeating watch Circa 1765

Gold and enamel pair cased quarter repeating cylinder watch
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An English fine gold and enamel pair cased quarter repeating cylinder pocket watch, circa 1765. Gilded full plate movement, cylinder escapement, decoratively pierced balance cock engraved with scrolling foliage, a mask at the neck, repeating on a bell to the inside case back, fusee and chain, cylindrical pillars, signed And. Dickie London, dust cap lacking. White enamel dial, Roman hours, outer Arabic minute ring and gold beetle & poker hands. Gold inner case, the band decoratively pierced and engraved with foliage and dolphins’ heads, grotesque mask at the base, the back engraved with two doves with outstretched wings atop a pedestal surrounded by foliage, bezel with pulse piece between 5 and 6 o’clock, outer gold case with blue basse taille enamel and bright cut gold decoration between two bands of piercing for sound emission, the bezel decorated en suite, diamond set thumb piece.
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Diameter: 46 mm
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Signed: And. Dickie London
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Andrew Dickie was one of the five professional watchmakers on a committee of 11 appointed by an Act of Parliament to examine John Harrison’s H4 timepiece. The Act took effect on the 31st of March 1763. The other watchmakers on the committee were Alexander Cumming, Thomas Mudge, William Frodsham and James Green.
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Basse taille is an enamelling technique in which the artist creates a low relief pattern in metal, usually silver or gold, by engraving or chasing. The entire pattern is created in such a way that its highest point is lower than the surrounding metal. A translucent enamel is then applied to the metal, allowing light to reflect from the relief and creating an artistic effect. It was used in the late Middle Ages, and then again in the 17th century.