French one handed neck watch in a crystal case Circa 1580

Brass octagonal neck watch
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A rare one handed, octagonal neck watch in a rock crystal case, circa 1580.
Brass case, firegilt, rock crystal, faceted, florally engraved ornaments. Firegilt dial, lavishly florally engraved, chapter ring with radial Roman numerals, the centre decorated with an engraved bouquet of flowers, blued hand. Oval full plate movement, firegilt, gut/fusee, baluster shaped movement pillars, verge escapement, three arm brass balance, florally engraved balance cock.
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Diameter: 32 x 41 x 29 mm
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Weight: 62 g
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Signed: Carl Gutbub Strasbourg
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The oval shape was the dominant watch form in the mid-sixteenth century. By the end of the century other geometrically shaped watches like square, hexagonal, trapezoidal, and circular became fashionable. Octagonal watches, for example, began to appear around 1575. Although most circular and octagonal watches have circular movements, the shape of this movement is oval. The watch cases were usually made from brass or silver; only very rarely were they created from hollowed out rock crystal or amethyst.