English pair cased quarter repeating à toc pocket watch Circa 1760

Gold enamel pocket watch of museum quality by Benjamin Gray
–
An important English pair cased gold enamel pocket watch of museum quality with quarter repeater à toc, circa 1760. Two cases: 22 carat gold, à goutte outer case, back cover with fine polychrome enamel painting: Cupid is held by the nymphs, based on a painting by Angelica Kauffman (1741 – 1807) Entwaffnung Amors durch drei Nymphen (Cupid being disarmed by the three nymphs) and a green enamelled man’s head en profile wearing a crown, and engine turned and green translucent enamel foliate border; and a 22 carat gold, polished inner case, with case maker’s punch mark PM. Enamel dial with radial Roman hours and blued Poker & Beetle hands. Fine full plate movement, keywind, applied floral decorations, fire gilt, signed, chain/fusee, verge escapement, one hammer, threearm steel balance, blued balance spring, fine florally engraved and pierced balance cock with mascaron, and a diamond endstone on balance.
–
Diameter: 48 mm
–
Weight: 120 g
–
Signed: Ben(jamin) Gray London
–
Both watch cases were undoubtedly created in 18K gold but bear no British gold marks. Hallmarks were a legal requirement in Great Britain and, of course, connected to a tax duty. The only piece exempt from this was goldware specially produced for the royal house, which indicates that this piece was delivered to the court. Benjamin Gray (1676-1764) Benjamin Gray is recorded as an eminent maker working in Pall Mall with his partner Justin Vulliamy. They were appointed clockmakers to the King. Today Benjamin Gray’s clocks are held by many private collections.
–
Benjamin Gray, English watchmaker
Benjamin Gray was born in 1676. He was based in London. Gray was a watchmaker for King George II from 1744.
From 1727, he was resident in the Pall Mall, together with his partner Justin Vulliamy. Justin Vulliamy married Benjamin Gray’s daughter and later took over his business. On March 30, 1742, Gray was named court watchmaker to King George II, succeeding Thomas Cartwright. Vulliamy was also the king’s court clockmaker. He moved to St. James Street, Ye Sun Dyall in Thatched House Court, but was back in Pall Mall by 1752. Benjamin Gray also made pedometers. Thomas Richard Wakelin was trained as a watchmaker at Gray. His watches can be found in the Spitzer, Ilbert and Buckley collections.
–
Quarter repeater pocket watch à toc
A dumb repeater watch in which a hammer strikes the inside of the case to produce a muffled sound. Imagined by Julien Le Roy circa 1750.