French gold and enamel verge with four automata Circa 1800

Gold and enamel open faced verge automaton
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An important and extremely rare French 18 Carat gold and enamel open faced verge pocket watch with four automata made for the Chinese market, The Angler at the Mill, circa 1800.
Full plate movement, key winding, chain fusée, verge escapement, three arm brass balance. The automaton is independent of the watch movement and operated by a barrel and train via cams and levers.
White enamel off center dial with Arabic hours, outer minute divisions and Arabic quarter hours, oval regulation scale at six o’clock. Glazed case back with polychrome enamel and an applied four colour gold automaton scene.

The setting shows a mill against a polychrome enamel background with an alpine landscape, farm buildings and a stream. From an upper window of the mill, an angler holds his rod into the water. The four colour gold automaton is attached to the building. An aperture shows a stream driving a spinning mill wheel and another opening reveals a blazing fire. On the ground, a goose is looking for some food. In the front an applied and chased four colour gold scene depicting a goatherd under a tree with his animals to the right.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 95 g
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Signed: Breguet à Paris