Rare English silver pair cased pocket chronometer Circa 1797

Silver pocket chronometer by George Margetts
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A rare English silver pair cased pocket chronometer watch, circa 1797. The watch features a gilded full plate, spring detent escapement, a pierced and foliate engraved balance cock, an urn at the neck, a typical Margetts pocket chronometer bi metallic balance with tangential screws on the compensation weights, a helical balance spring, a diamond end stone, a fusee and chain, and cylindrical pillars. It is signed and numbered: George Margetts of London, No. 13. The white enamel dial has Roman numerals on the upper dial, an outer Arabic minute ring with a large subsidiary seconds dial beneath and gold hands. It has two cases: a plain silver inner case with a winding aperture to the case back, a stirrup pendant, and a bow; and a plain polished outer case. Both cases are hallmarked 1797 and bear the maker’s mark IR.
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Diameter: 62.5 mm
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Signed: George Margetts, London
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The dial exhibits some hairline cracks, while the hands are in good condition. Both the inner and outer cases appear to be in good overall condition. The movement is running.
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George Margetts
Research conducted by Jonathan Betts has revealed that in the mid 1790’s, Margetts shifted his focus to the production of marine chronometers. Despite being late in his career, the high demand for chronometers made it a profitable area in the horological market, which Margetts may have seen as an opportunity to recover from his bankruptcy declared on December 29, 1788. It’s also worth noting that the 14 year privileges of Arnold and Earnshaw’s chronometer escapements expired in 1796 and 1797, respectively. It was during the late 1790s that Margetts started selling pocket chronometers, and the chronometer numbered 13 is one of the earliest from this period.