English large silver verge watch with stop-slide Circa 1778

Rare and very large silver center seconds verge watch
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An English rare and very large silver pair cased center seconds verge watch with stop slide, circa 1778, gilded full plate movement, verge escapement, large decoratively pierced balance cock engraved with foliage, diamond endstone, fusee and chain, square baluster pillars, gilt metal dust cap, movement and dust cap signed Benjn. Ward, London.
White enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute ring, blued steel beetle and poker hands, centre seconds with crescent moon-shaped tail
Silver plain inner case, stop-slide to the bezel at 9 o’clock, aperture for winding to back, plain outer case, both cases with maker’s mark TG incuse for Thomas Gosling
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Diameter: 90 mm
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Signed: Benjn. Ward London
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The hinge to the outer case lends this watch an asymmetric appearance, being placed significantly less than 90 degrees to the pendant. This style of placement is quite often found on watches of this size and appears to have been favoured due to the fact that it helps to keep the front bezel closed, even if the opening catch is inadvertently sprung when the watch is in the vertical position. This watch has a start/stop lever to the edge of the inner case which operates a ‘whip’ on the escape wheel of the verge escapement, thereby allowing the watch to be used as a timer.