French ornamental gold enamel and diamond set verge Circa 1770

Gold, enamel and diamond set open faced verge watch
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A French ornamental 18 Carat gold and enamel open faced verge pocket watch studded with diamonds, circa 1770.
The case back with a polychrome enamel scene showing a couple at a table playing music, the front bezel is diamond set, both bezels are embellished with basse taille enamel flowers, the thumbpiece is also diamond set, case maker’s punch mark PBC. White enamel with Roman hours alternated with diamonds, Arabic five minute numerals and decorative hands.
Signed full plate movement, verge escapement, chain and fusee, three arm steel balance.
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Diameter: 43 mm
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Weight: 59 g
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Signed: Gudin A Paris
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Jacques-Jérôme Gudin (1732-1789) was a French watchmaker, born in 1732 in Paris. He was the son of Jacques Gudin and Henriette Le Noir, the daughter of jeweller Pierre Le Noir. Gudin became a master on May 12, 1762, and worked at first at the Quai des Orfevres, in 1783 he moved to the Rue St Honoré. He did work for the Prince of Conti, the Princess of Monaco and the Duke of Choiseul. Jacques Jérôme died in 1789 in Paris. Timepieces made by Gudin are part of the collections at Windsor Castle, the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon in Dresden and in the National Museum in Stockholm.
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Basse taille is an enamelling technique in which the artist creates a low relief pattern in metal, usually silver or gold, by engraving or chasing. The entire pattern is created in such a way that its highest point is lower than the surrounding metal. A translucent enamel is then applied to the metal, allowing light to reflect from the relief and creating an artistic effect. It was used in the late Middle Ages, and then again in the 17th century.