French gold quarter repeating à toc pocket watch Circa 1780

Gold, translucent enamel virgule pocket watch
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A fine and very rare French, quarter repeating à toc, 18K gold and enamel pocket watch, circa 1780. With virgule escapement and Lepine’s special opening mechanism. The bezel is decorated with white enamel pearls and ovals and translucent enamel green leaves, the back with green translucent guilloche enamel, central rosette, outer border to match the bezel, Lepine’s special opening mechanism activated by twisting the pendant. Hinged gilt cuvette.
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White enamel dial with radial Arabic numerals, outer minute track and Arabic five minute numerals. Gold Louis hands. Gilt brass movement, standing barrel, virgule escapement, three-arm brass balance, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator, repeating à toc activated by depressing the pendant. Dial and cuvette signed the case with Guillaume Mermillod’s punch mark.
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Diameter: 36 mm
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Signed: Lépine  Paris
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The case and dial are slightly chipped.
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Lépine was the first maker in France to use Arabic numerals for the hours in place of the traditional Roman chapters. This watch is a good example of this new style of the dial. Jean-Antoine Lépine (1720-1814) was born in Challex, a village north of Geneva and arrived in Paris in 1744. A workman for King’s Clockmaker André Charles Caron, he married Caron’s daughter in 1756 and was received Master in 1765. Around 1765 he became King’s Clockmaker, and in 1766 he succeeded Caron. , In 1772, Lépine was in the Place Dauphine, in 1778- 1779, Quai de l’Horloge du Palais, then in the rue des Fossés Saint Germain l’Auxerrois near the Louvre in 1781, and finally at 12 Place des Victoires in 1789.