Gold English pair cased verge watch by Tompion Circa 1700

Gold pair cased verge watch by Thomas Tompion
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A fine 20 carat gold English keywind pair cased verge watch, circa 1700. Gilt full plate fusee verge, winged pierced and engraved balance cock, silver regulation, tulip pillars. Gold champlevé dial with signed central panel, black Roman numerals, black outer minute divisions, Arabic numeral 5-minute markers, blued steel beetle, and poker hands. Polished inner case and outer pair, both stamped WS and numbered.
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Diameter: 51 mm
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Signed: Tho. Tompion London
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Thomas Tompion (1639-1713) is commonly referred to as the father of English clockmaking and is undoubtedly the greatest Watch and Clockmaker of the 17th Century.
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Born on the 25th of July 1639, the son of a blacksmith, little is known of Tompion’s life before he was admitted to the Clockmakers Company on the 4th of September 1671. From there, he gained his freedom of the Company in 1674 and became Master in 1704.
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His workshops were renowned, and he had patrons at the highest levels of English society and with good reason. He has created some of the greatest clocks in the world and was one of the first to use balance springs in watches. He famously employed George Graham, who married his niece and succeeded him in the Company.
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This watch is recorded in Thomas Tompion’s 300 Years by Jeremy Evans, Jonathan Carter and Ben Wright.
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Associated shagreen outer case.