French gold and enamel repeating verge watch Circa 1777

Gold chatelaine watch by Vauchez
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An extremely fine French open faced quarter repeating verge pocket watch, circa 1767-1786. Verge movement, repeating the hours and quarter hours à toc. White enamel dial (flat flaked off at the winding opening) with radial Roman hours, outer minute divisions, Arabic five minute numerals, a later minute hand and the hour hand probably original. A very unusual, high quality case made of rose gold and silver with French gold hallmarks, translucent blue enamel with inlaid gold stars on the back, both sides set with turquoise glass beads and the opening button at 3 o’clock is set with a diamond. Dial signed, movement signed and numbered. Accompanied by an associated gold and enamel chatelaine with two dark blue and turquoise seal pendants and the original gold key.
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Diameter: 35 mm
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Weight: 43 g
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Signed: Vauchez en la Cité à Paris
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The square wrench of the chatelaine is unfortunately badly worn and no longer suitable.
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The Vauchez or Vaucher family originally came from Fleurier, Switzerland and produced so many skilled watchmakers that attributing individual watches to their maker is very difficult. The best known was Daniel-François Vauchez.

Daniel-François was born in Fleurier in 1716 and married with nine children. Vauchez had to leave the country in 1760 and moved to Paris, where he became a master watchmaker. His wife and children initially remained in Fleurier but eventually joined him in Paris. He likely had a close relationship with Ferdinand Berthoud, which contributed to his success as a watchmaker. By 1767, he was listed as a watchmaker and from 1769 to 1790 he had a workshop in the rue Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeufs in Paris. He signed his high quality timepieces with ‘Vauchez à Paris’ and ‘Vauchez en la Cité’. Five of his sons, Jonas-Frédéric-Louis, Jean-Henri-David, François-Daniel-Abraham, Jean-Jacques, Samuel-Henri-André and his daughter Isabelle-Salomé also became watchmakers. 

Daniel-François died around 1790 in Paris and Jean-Henri-David continued the business. In a poignant letter from 1826, it is mentioned that Samuel-Henri-André and François-Daniel-Abraham were still living in poverty in Paris and were nearly blind. 

Various clocks bearing the signature ‘Vauchez à Paris’ and ‘Vauchez en la Cité’ can be found in museum collections across Europe, including the Musée du Louvre in Paris.