French silver pair cased verge watch with alarm Circa 1680

Silver open faced pocket watch by Hanet
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A fine single-handed pair-cased verge pocket watch with alarm, circa 1680.
Silver outer case with large lateral hinge; silver lavishly florally engraved and pierced inner case with grotesque face. Silver champlevé dial with radial Roman hours, central rotating alarm disc with floral engravings and blued hand. Fine full plate movement, keywind, firegilt, signed, chain/fusee, pierced barrel for alarm, moulded movement pillars, three-arm brass balance, blued balance spring, finely engraved, pierced balance bridge.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 102 g
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Signed: Hanet à Paris
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Nicolas Hanet Nicolas Hanet was born about 1660 and died in 1723. Nicolas Hanet was one of the French makers who were appointed by Huygens in Paris to produce the first pendulum clocks and the first watches with the balance spring (which had been invented in 1675). Hanet must thus be considered one of the prominent makers of the second half of the 17th century.