Swiss gilt metal watch with enamel decoration Circa 1790

Gilt metal open faced key winding verge watch
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A fine Swiss gilt metal open faced pocket watch with an exquisite polychrome enamel painting on the reverse cover, made by Les Frères Gillet & Galés in Geneva, circa 1790. This watch has a mechanical key winding fire gilded brass movement with a verge fusee escapement. It includes an intricately pierced and chased balance cock decorated with detailed scrollwork and a silver regulation disc signed Les Frères Gillet & Galés, A Geneve. The white enamel dial features a single winding aperture near 2 o’clock, black Arabic numerals for the hours, an outer minute track, and elegant hands.
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The timepiece is housed in an exceptionally fine gilt metal open faced case. It has a bezel set with a continuous row of sparkling pink rhinestones. The reverse back cover shows a detailed hand painted miniature enamel scene depicting a classic Lady in a garden within a landscape, framed by an elegant multicoloured floral and geometric enamel border. The case is completed by an intricately chased outer caseband.
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Diameter: 50 mm
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Signed: Les Frères Gillet & Gales, à Genève
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Les Frères Gillet & Galés was a famous late 18th century Swiss watchmaking company based in Geneva, active during the Enlightenment era. It was a partnership between the Gillet brothers and master watchmaker Galés, specializing in high quality luxurious watches for wealthy European customers. The firm was well known for combining precise watchmaking with the best decorative arts of the time. Their watch mechanisms mainly used carefully designed mechanical verge fusee escapements with detailed brass balance cocks and silver adjustment discs. In addition tos their mechanical skill, the partnership was known for creating impressive visual designs. They worked closely with top Geneva artists to decorate their watches with bright multicoloured enamel borders and beautiful hand painted miniature portraits. Today, watches signed Les Frères Gillet & Galés, A Geneve, are rare historical treasures kept by private collectors and highly valued as examples of Swiss watchmaking at its artistic best.