Rare English gold pair cased repoussé verge pocket watch Circa 1750

Gold repoussé precious stone-set watch by Joseph Martineau
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A rare English gold pair cased repoussé verge watch with chalcedony and a precious stone-set butterfly on the outer case, circa 1750. The watch features a gilded full-plate movement with a verge escapement, a plain flat three-arm brass balance, a ruby endstone, and decorative piercing and engravings on the cock and foot with scrolling foliage. It also includes a fusee and chain, square baluster pillars, and is signed by Martineau of London. The white enamel dial has Roman numerals, an Arabic outer minute ring, and gold filigree hands.
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It has two cases: a plain inner case made of gold with a winding aperture at the back, along with a pendant featuring a decorative stirrup-form bow and a plain bezel. The inner case bears an incuse mark, possibly Piei or Piel. The repoussé outer case is made of gold, with the back adorned with a butterfly crafted from chalcedony wings and a body adorned with ruby, sapphire, and emerald stones. The butterfly’s legs and antennae are intricately chased within the repoussé design, surrounded by shell and scrollwork against a stippled ground, with floral scrollwork between swags on the bezel.
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Diameter outer case: 45 mm
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Diameter inner case: 39 mm
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Signed: Martineau London
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The movement is in good running condition and appears clean and refreshed. The dial has light scratches. The inner case shows visible repairs around the pendant, both inside and outside, with repairs to the pendant itself and the stirrup appearing to be later additions. The replaced plain bezel of the inner case is a different colour of gold compared to the case back. The decoration on the repoussé outer case is in good overall condition, with a very small tear to the lower left edge of the shell directly above the butterfly. However, this is difficult to see without viewing from the inside back. The inner and outer cases fit well together.
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Joseph Martineau was a renowned watchmaker who worked in London from around 1720 to 1760. He was the son of Joseph Martineau Senior and Marie Magdelene Fermignac. Martineau’s pocket watches were highly regarded for their exquisite workmanship and beautiful exterior features. Most of his pocket watches included a date feature, which was displayed through a small opening in the dial. The date numbers were present on a large wheel rim that advanced by one tooth every 24 hours. Martineau worked at Red Lion 65 Street, Clerkenwell, and Orange Street. It is also possible that some of the watches attributed to Joseph Martineau Junior were created by his father or were a collaboration between the father and son. A will from this period is known to exist, and he was located in Saint Martin’s Court (Saint Martin in the Fields) in 1760.