Rare French 18K gold open work verge pocket watch Circa 1750

Glazed open faced pocket watch by L’Épine
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A rare French yellow gold pocket watch with front winding key and open work case from the second half of the 18th century. The movement features a verge escapement with a meeting wheel and a fusee with chain. The white enamel dial, signed L’Épine à Paris, displays Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic for the minutes, with a square winding at two o’clock, and chased and set hands. The openworked case back is fitted with glass, revealing the rooster movement, adorned with foliated scrolls surmounted by a fleur de lys crown, set with rose cut rhinestones like the bezel and edge (six stones missing).
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Diameter : 40 mm.
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Weight : 46 g
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Signed: L’Épine à Paris
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History: This high-quality watch is likely a contemporary model, as indicated by the fleur de lysed crown in the rooster decoration. Several watches of a similar design can be found in the collections of the Château de Versailles, signed L’EPINE A PARIS with openwork rooster decorations, adorned with rhinestones or diamonds. The cases are sometimes embellished with miniatures.
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Jean-Antoine LEPINE (1720-1814), clockmaker to the King in Paris.
He invented the calibre that bears his name, in which the spindle is removed and the upper plate is replaced by bridges. He also claimed to have invented the comma escapement.
He arrived in Paris and served as an apprentice to André-Charles Caron (1697-1775), the King’s watchmaker, in 1744, marrying his daughter.
He became the watchmaker for Louis XV, Louis XVI, and later for Napoleon I.
He is the author of the clock that adorns the King’s office at the Château de Versailles.