French 18K gold and cloisonné enamel cylinder watch Circa 1835

Gold and cloisonné enamel lady’s pocket watch by Mathieu
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A fine and thin French 18-carat gold and enamel open faced lady’s pocket watch, circa 1835.
Bridge movement, Lépine calibre, key winding, three-armed steel balance.
Silver engine-turned dial with radial Roman numerals, outer minute track and gold Breguet hands. The case back cloisonné enamelled, chased and engraved bezel and band. Cuvette signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 39 mm
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Weight: 37 g
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Signed: Mathieu Place de la Bourse à Paris
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A beautiful small watch with exquisite enamel decorations.
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Mathieu was probably born in Geneva. He moved to Paris around 1825, listed at No. 12, No. 15 and No. 29 of Place de la Nouvelle Bourse or Rue de la Bourse. In the Bulletin de La Societé d’Encouragement pour l’Industrie of 1825 by M. Francœur, ‘au nom du Comité des arts mécaniques’, mentions Mathieu in the Rue de la Bourse as the inventor of a regulating device for cylinder clocks. In 1821 and 1824, Mathieu is recorded as being located at No. 56. In 1834; he was represented at the exhibition of products of the French industry at the Place de la Concorde. He won a bronze medal for his various innovations.
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Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with coloured material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold. In recent centuries, vitreous enamel has been used, but inlays of cut gemstones, glass and other materials were also used during older periods. Indeed, cloisonné enamel probably began as an easier imitation of cloisonné work using gems. The resulting objects can also be called cloisonné.