French 18K yellow gold open faced pocket watch Circa 1760

Gold open faced key winding watch
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A fine French 18 carat yellow gold open faced pocket watch made by Lenoir in Paris, circa 1760. It has a mechanical key winding, fire gilded brass movement with a striking mechanism, signed Lenoir à Paris. The white enamel dial features stylized black painted Arabic numerals for the hours, an outer minute track, a single front winding aperture at 2 o’clock, and intricately pierced openwork hands set with rose cut diamonds. The timepiece is housed in an exceptionally fine round three body, 18 carat solid yellow gold open faced case. The front gold bezel and silver accenting elements are set with a continuous row of rose cut diamonds. The reverse back cover is meticulously embellished with applied multi tone gold decorations and fine hand chasing, depicting an intricate landscaped scene with figures. It has a cylindrical winding stem and a sturdy round suspension bow. The watch is accompanied by a later gilded brass winding key.
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Diameter: 40 mm
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Weight: 61 g
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Signed: Lenoir à Paris
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The name signed on the movement of this timepiece refers to the esteemed Lenoir dynasty of Parisian master clockmakers active throughout the 18th century. Most notably, Etienne II Le Noir (1699–1778) and his son Pierre-Etienne Le Noir (1724–after 1789) worked closely in partnership in Paris from 1750 onwards, gaining renown during the reign of King Louis XV. Operating from prestigious locations like the Place Dauphine, they specialized in producing highly luxurious, complicated clocks and fine verge repeating watches for the French nobility, the Royal Court, and major international collectors. Today, exceptional timepieces bearing the iconic Lenoir à Paris signature are preserved in premier global institutions, including the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Palace of Versailles.