English repoussé repeater with pulse piece Circa 1740

Fine gold pair cased repoussé repeater by George Graham
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A fine English gold pair cased repoussé quarter repeating cylinder watch with pulse piece, circa 1740. Gilt full plate cylinder movement, plain three arms balance, finely pierced and engraved balance cock, diamond end stone, fusee and chain, repeating on a bell. Gilt dust cap. White enamel dial, Roman numerals, Arabic outer track and blued steel hands. Finely pierced and engraved inner case with maker’s mark ‘JW’ (John Ward), repoussé outer case depicting ‘Britannia and Father Time’ with fine pierced decoration to the band enhanced by cartouches containing illustrations of the four ages of man signed Parbury, pulse piece pusher to the band. Dust cap signed, movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 48.5 mm
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Thickness: 28 mm
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Signed: G. Graham London
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George Graham (1674-1751) was one of England’s most renowned clock and watchmakers. He was an apprentice to Henry Aske in 1688 and then entered the service of Thomas Tompion as a journeyman in 1695. He married one of Tompion’s nieces and became his partner in 1704, succeeding to the business on Tompion’s death in 1713. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1721 and Master of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1722. It is believed that he improved or perhaps invented the cylinder escapement. He used the verge escapement up to 1726 and then mainly the cylinder after the time. On his death in 1751, as a sign of the great respect in which he was held, Tompion’s grave in Westminster Abbey was opened to receive the body of his former partner.
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The pulse piece repeating mechanism which is believed to have been invented by Graham enables the user to disable the hammer to the bell directing a pulse to the pusher. It allows the time to be given without disturbing those around you.
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The repoussé scene to the case is an allegory of Britannia’s eternal dominion over the waves.
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Brian Loomes, Watchmakers and Clomakers of the world, 2006.