English precision pocket watch with duplex escapement Circa 1817

Gold open faced gentleman’s pocket watch by William Hardy
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An interesting English gentleman’s precision pocket watch with duplex escapement, circa 1817. With ruby roller and signature of the first owner Thos HART, Greenock, 1818.
Polished 18-carat gold case with case maker’s punch mark IN (probably James Norvill, London). Signed white enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, outer minutes track, subsidiary dial for the seconds, and gold spade hands. Signed full plate movement, keywind, chain/fusee heavy bimetallic Pennington chronometer balance with ten screws, unusual Bosely type regulator.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Weight: 181 g
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Signed: William Hardy, Clerkenwell, London
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William Hardy, Clerkenwell, London
William Hardy was a noted maker of excellent watches, chronometers with his own balance, of which an example is in the British Museum, and a regulator with his own escapement and compensated pendulum, for which he was awarded a prize by the Society of Arts in 1820. This watch has an unusual shape of an index which is strongly reminiscent of those used in watches retailed by Vulliamy, as is the screw head stud, and the Pennington-type screw adjusted balance is a particularly early example. It should also be noted that Greenock was a most important part of the Port of Glasgow at this period, so such an advanced watch would make sense if Thomas Hart was involved in the shipping of any sort.