French 18K yellow gold open faced pocket watch Circa 1780

Gold open faced verge watch
–
A French 18 carat yellow gold open faced pocket watch, made by L’épine in Paris, circa 1780. This watch has a mechanical cock movement with a verge escapement and fusee and chain system, featuring an intricately pierced and chased balance cock, a silver regulating dial, and a main plate signed L’Épine Horloger du Roy à Paris and numbered. The white enamel dial displays painted black Roman numerals for the hours, outer Arabic numerals at five minute intervals, a railway minute track, an off center winding square between 1 and 2 o’clock, and ornate gold Louis XV style hands, signed L’Épine and Horloger du Roy à Paris on the dial. The watch features a round, three body, solid yellow gold and three tone gold case with an intricately chased laurel leaf band and decorative geometric bezel, a high domed mineral glass, and a case back decorated with a multi gold relief scene representing the altar of love framed by a chased foliate border, accompanied by a gold, amethyst, and steel winding key.
–
Diameter: 41 mm
–
Weight: 54.6 g
–
Signed: L’Épine, Horloger du Roy à Paris
–
Wear and minor accidents to the dial near the winding square.