French pocket watch with date and oversized barrel Circa 1790

Silver gentleman’s pocket watch by André Hessen
–
A rare French gentleman’s pocket watch with virgule escapement and date, circa 1790.
Silver, tiered case with glazed back. Signed enamel dial with Arabic numerals, chapter ring for the date, and gold Poker & Beetle hands. Full plate movement, keywind, frosted gilt, signed, large open barrel, three-arm brass balance, and pierced balance bridge.
–
Diameter: 57 mm
–
Weight: 83 g
–
Signed: André Hessen, à Paris
–
This unusual piece has a glazed back, which draws the viewer’s attention to the extra-large skeletonized barrel and the cut plate with the rare escapement. We assume that this may have been a demonstration model.
–
André Hessen
André Hessen worked as clockmaker to the king’s brother in Paris from 1775 to 1790; he later went to Stockholm. Today, many of his creations are kept in Paris and Stockholm. Hessen also published the paper “Mém. sur l’Horlogerie”.