German fire gilded pre balance spring verge watch Circa 1550

Gilt brass one handed octagonal watch
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An important German fire gilded brass pre balance spring pocket watch, presumably made by Ulrich Marquardt in Augsburg, circa 1550. The octagonal case with a rear bell. Gilt dial with an engraved view of Munich in the center, Roman hour numerals and a single steel hand. The octagonal brass full plate movement is fitted with a verge escapement, gut and fusee, a stackfreed mechanism and foliot, punched with makers mark VM for presumably Ulrich Marquardt.
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Diameter incl. pendant: 70 mm
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Weight: 107 g
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Signed: No name
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Jürgen Abeler’s book “Meister der Uhrmacherkunst” lists Ulrich Marquardt III as an independent clockmaker in Augsburg from 1549. Tax records of Marquardt exist from 1548 to 1567, when he moved outside the city limits of Augsburg.
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Identifying contemporary city portraits on vintage clocks is very hard to do. However, the dial of this watch very clearly shows the two onion domes of the Frauenkirche in Munich, consecrated on April 14th, 1494. To the left stands St. Peter’s Church, called “Alter Peter” (Old Pete) by the locals.