English magnificent gold watch for Ottoman market Circa 1813

Gold, enamel triple cased miniature pocket watch
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A magnificent English triple cased miniature gold enamel pocket watch in practically new condition, for the Ottoman market, circa 1813.
The delicate outer case has two open, engraved bezels that are ornamented with blue and green Champlevé flower garlands. The intermediate case is similarly embellished around the rim; the back is decorated with “en grisaille” painting showing a bouquet of flowers on translucent red enamel over radial engine-turned ground.
The outer case is 18 carat rose gold, polychrome enamel, the middle and the inner case are also 18 carat rose gold, polychrome enamel but with case maker’s punch mark “AN” (Augustus Newman). The signed dial is white enamel with Turkish numerals. It has a full plate signed movement a chain/fusee and a three-arm steel balance.
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Diameter: 40 mm
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Weight: 57 g
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Signed: Edward Prior, London
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Movement as well as case design of these watches intended for the Turkish market were already outmoded in 1813 – and even more so in later years; nevertheless Edward Prior and some of his contemporaries such as George Prior (II), George Charle, Markwick Markham-Perigal and Isaac Rogers specialized on this type of watch because there was a ongoing demand for them on the Turkish market – be it from tradition or from a true love of the elaborately ornamented movements and cases. It is quite possible that many of these watches – the one we have here is among them – never even left England, because their exotic beauty had its devotees in their own country too. Very often these buyers kept the watch safely in a drawer like jewellery, which explains the mint condition of some of these marvellous pieces – as it is the case with our watch.

The exquisite gold enamel cases were created by goldsmith Augustus Newman in 7 Plumptree Street, Bloomsbury, London, whose mark appears for the first time on November 4th, 1813.

Edward Prior (c. 1800-1868) was a renowned watch- and clockmaker working in London. He evidently specialised in designs for the Turkish market – this is substantiated by the fact that he produced timepieces with multiple cases, which were particularly popular in Turkey at the time.