Small French gold, enamel and pearl set verge watch Circa 1780

Decorative gold pendant watch by Vauchez
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Small French gold, polychrome enamel painted and pearl set verge watch, circa 1780. The gilded full plate movement, signed Vauchez, à Paris, features a verge escapement, a beautifully pierced and engraved balance bridge, a silver regulation plate, and turned pillars. The white enamel dial displays Roman numerals, an outer Arabic minute ring, and a winding aperture at 2 o’clock. The gold case showcases decoratively chased and engraved bezels with rope twist borders, while the back is centred with a polychrome enamel painted scene of a maiden before an altar of love, surrounded by chased and engraved leaves enhanced with green translucent enamel and split pearls.
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Diameter: 31.5 mm
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Signed: Vauchez á Paris
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The movement is soiled but operational. There are small marks and scratches on the backplate. The dial has chips around the winding hole. The case shows light scuffs and scratches, and the enamel scene has small scratches throughout.
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Daniel-François Vaucher moved from Fleurier to Paris in 1760, where he became a master watchmaker; he likely also worked initially as a “terrinier” (pottery maker). In 1767, he is listed as a watchmaker. He operated a watch workshop on the Rue St-Pierre-aux-Boeufs in Paris from 1769 to 1790. He signed his watches “Vauchez à Paris.” He was probably good friends with Ferdinand Berthoud and owes his career as a watchmaker to him. His wife and children remained in Fleurier, but later various children moved to Paris or worked there for several years, including Samuel-Henri-Andre, Jean-Henri-David, François-Daniel-Abraham, Jonas-Frédéric-Louis, and Jean-Jacques. Jean-Henri-David continued the business in Paris from 1790 onwards. Excellent watches from this family were predominantly signed “Vauchez en la Cité.” Daniel Vaucher was also involved in the necklace affair (l’affaire du collier de la Reine).
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From a very touching letter dated 1826, it is known that Samuel-Henri-Andre and François-Daniel-Abraham lived in poverty in Paris and were nearly blind. They subsisted on the pension they received from their nephews DuBois, Bovet, and Vaucher.
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Various watches from “Vauchez à Paris” and “Vauchez en la Cité” can be found in collections of museums across Europe, such as the Musée du Louvre in Paris. Due to the letters used by Vauchez, it is possible that it is not a “z” but rather an “r.”