Heavy English 18K gold pair cased verge pocket watch Circa 1785

Gold verge pocket watch by Jaquet-Droz
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A very fine and heavy English 18K gold pair cased verge pocket watch, circa 1785. Made in Switzerland for the English market, probably retailed by Maillardet. A polished bassine case, gilt metal dust cover. White enamel dial with radial Roman numerals, Arabic five-minute numerals and decorative gold Louis XV hands. A frosted gilt full plate movement, conical pillars, fusee and chain, verge escapement, three-arm brass balance, flat balance spring, finely pierced and engraved foliate balance cock, diamond endstone, silver regulation disc. Dial and dust cap signed.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Signed: Jaquet Droz London
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Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz was born in 1752 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. He was the son and second child of Pierre Jaquet-Droz and his wife Marianne. At a young age, his father sent him to Nancy, France, to study music, science, mathematics, physics and drawing. Upon his return from Nancy in 1769, Henry-Louis took his place in his father’s workshop, alongside Jean-Frédéric Leschot (1746-1824), a neighbour’s child who had come to live and work with Pierre around 1756. This was the beginning of a close and productive partnership between the three men. When Pierre Jaquet-Droz grew old, the firm was taken over by his son Henry-Louis and Jean-Frédéric Leschot and was called Jaquet- Droz & Leschot. Henri Maillardet was the director of the London branch of the Jaquet- Droz firm that was opened in 1783, although Henri-Louis travelled often to London to look after business. In 184 the Jaquet-Droz company moved to Geneva, the centre of watchmaking. Upon his father’s retirement from the family firm, Henry-Louis naturally replaced him. However, Henry-Louis’ health was poor. He died in November 1791, in Naples, Italy, at the early age of 39. Subsequently, Jean Frédéric Leschot took over the firm.