Fine English 20 carat repoussé verge watch Circa 1750

Pocket watch with a 20 Carat gold case
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A fine English repoussé verge watch with a 20 Carat gold case of exceptional quality, made by John Naas in Londen, England circa 1750. The double case design features an outer case of remarkable craftsmanship, with finely perforated relief work and raised polished figures and animals. The central scene is particularly striking, featuring a detailed portrait surrounded by intricate designs. Two city views complete the design, adding to the watch’s charm and sophistication. Inside the outer case, a smooth inner case with English hallmarks protects the delicate movement. The white enamel dial is adorned with Roman numerals for the hours, Arabic numerals for the minutes, and gold hands. While the dial has some fine hairline cracks, it does not detract from the watch’s overall beauty and functionality. The movement of the John Naas verge watch is equally impressive featuring an early English verge escapement with preload via worm screw’
The case and movement carry the same number and the movement is signed.
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Diameter: 47 mm
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Weight: 78 g
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Signed: Naas  London
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John Naas was a prominent watchmaker in London during the mid 18^th century. He specialized in making high quality pocket watches that were renowned for their accuracy and craftsmanship. Naas was particularly skilled in creating watches with intricate movements and complicated mechanisms, such as repeaters and chronographs. He also produced watches with decorative features, such as enamel dials and ornate cases. One of Naas’ most significant contributions to watchmaking was his development of the lever escapement. This mechanism, which is still used in watches today, replaced the earlier verge escapement and greatly improved the accuracy of timekeeping. Naas’ lever escapement was widely adopted by other watchmakers in London and beyond, and it helped establish London as a centre of excellence for watchmaking.