Extremely rare French octagonal shaped watch Circa 1630

Fire gilded brass and silver verge pocket watch by Pierre Maingot
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An extremely rare French fire gilded brass and silver octagonal pocket watch, circa 1630.
Octagonal shaped, gilt frosted full plate movement, baluster movement pillars, gut/fusee, verge escapement, ratchet wheel set up with blued steel spring, two armed iron balance without spring, florally engraved pierced balance cock. Firegilded brass dial, florally engraved, applied silver chapter ring, radial Roman numerals and a single blued steel hand. Lavishly hand engraved case depicting the four seasons, flower tendrils to both sides.
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Dimensions: 30 x 41 mm
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Weight: 62 g
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Signed: Pierre Maingot à Paris
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Pierre Maingot
Pierre Maingot the Elder became a master in 1582. We know that he worked in the Rue St. Merry until his death because his window is still registered at that address 1634, the year he died. His son Pierre became a master in 1605 and worked with his father in his workshop. Not before 1639, he is mentioned at the Rue Neuve St. Mederic, where he remained until 1644. The watch we have here is most likely to have been created by father and son together. Octagonal shaped watches The oval shape was the dominant watch form in the mid sixteenth century. By the end of the century, other geometrically shaped watches square, hexagonal, trapezoidal, and circular became fashionable. Octagonal shaped watches, for example, began to appear around 1575. Although most circular and octagonal watches have circular movements, the movement on this watch is octagonal shaped.