Important English pair cased gold enamel pocket Circa 1780

Gold and enamel cylinder watch in pair cases by Higgs & Evans
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An important English 22K gold and enamel pair-cased cylinder pocket watch with corresponding chatelaine, circa 1780.
Two cases: rims of the outer case with champlevé decor on both sides, gold flowers on gold and opaque white enamelled pearl border on a translucent green ground, the back with central oval enamel plaque depicting a classical en grisaille scene, Caesar Augustus meets with the Tiburtine Sibyl, on brown ground, opaque white enamel pearl border in a translucent cobalt blue enamel frame, the inner case polished. Signed and numbered movement protection cap. Comes with a matching three-part gold chatelaine with four en grisaille enamel medallions, the top medallion showing a woman making a sacrifice at the altar, signed AT for Augustin Toussaint, below left Prudentia (Prudence) holding a snake, to the right Abundantia with the cornucopia, the divine personification of abundance and prosperity, below another medallion with a vase.
Signed white enamel dial with radial Roman hours, Arabic five minutes and gold poker & beetle hands. Signed fire gilt full plate movement, applied ornaments with floral engraving, keywind, chain and fusee, cylinder escapement, three-arm steel balance, open work balance cock with very fine floral engraving of flags, helmet and a profile portrait, large chatoned diamond end stone.
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Diameter: 48 mm
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Weight: 116 g
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Length: 11 cm
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Signed: Higgs & Evans London
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The mythic meeting of Caesar Augustus with the Sibyl, of whom he inquired whether he should be worshipped as a god, was a favoured motif of Christian artists. Whether the sibyl in question was the Etruscan Sibyl of Tibur or the Greek Sibyl of Cumæ is not always clear. The neoclassical grisaille on a brown ground enamel decoration was particularly popular in late 18th century London.    
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Augustin Toussaint. Louis Toussaint was a jeweller and enameller in London. His son Augustin began his apprenticeship as an enamel painter with London’s most famous enameller and chaser George Michael Moser in 1768, for a fee of no less than 200 guineas. Augustin Toussaint soon gained the same excellent reputation as his teacher. His work was exhibited in the Royal Academy from 1775 to 1788 and can also be seen on the timekeepers produced by other renowned London masters. Higgs and Evans were highly respected makers of long cases, table clocks and watches. They worked in Sweetings Alley and later in the Royal Exchange. The firm was first established in 1775 and carried on until 1825. They specialized in making clocks for the Spanish market. Examples of their work are included in the Science Museum and the Guildhall Museum.
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A grisaille (en grisaille), or grey painting, is a painting in which one does not apply natural colours but restricts oneself to depicting things in all possible shades of the same colour, usually grey or brown.