Swiss gold enamel verge watch with chatelaine Circa 1780

Exceptional quality pocket watch with oval paintings
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A gold enamel verge watch with chatelaine of exceptional quality, made by Les Frères Esquivillon & DeChoudens in Genève, Switzerland, circa 1780. The numbered open faced case is professionally restored, has the master’s mark N.C. or N.O. with a crown, was crafted from gold and has both sides set with small Oriental pearls, the back with fantastic enamel work in very rare workmanship, an oval absolute top quality painting surrounded by blue enamel with light blue engine turned blossoms and tendrils and set with small Oriental pearls, upper part with another small oval painting with representation of two doves, again surrounded by Oriental pearls. The, also professionally restored, white enamel dial has Arabic numerals for the quarters and the hours and pink gold arrow hands. The movement has a verge escapement.
The watch comes with the original gold enamel unrestored and also of exceptional quality chatelaine, set with Oriental pearls, both sides enamelled, on the back two enamel paintings, again the same work as on the case with light blue engine turned floral motifs, back dark blue enamelled with multicoloured paillon inlays, in the same way enamelled key and a pendant scent container in the form of a hinged egg shape.
Case and movement have matching numbers and the dial and movement are signed.
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Diameter: 44 mm
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Weight: 62 g
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Chatelaine approximately 19 cm long and 51 gr.
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Signed: F^res Esquivillon & DeChoudens 
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Les Fréres Esquivillon & DeChoudens in Geneva made some of the most valuable enamel watches and were known for their quality. Very typical are also the embedded pearls within the enamel work. One of the most famous enamel watches by Les Fréres Esquivillon & DeChoudens was number 73574.
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Les Frères Esquivillon & DeChoudens
Geneva Master watchmakers were active in the last quarter of the 18^th century and the early 19th century. In 1774, Gédéon-François Esquivillon (1717-1799) became associated with his brothers, Joseph Esquivillon (1714-1798) and Jean François Esquivillon (1733-1813), and Jaques DeChoudens (or Deschoudens 1728-1801). They founded a workshop in Genève which produced high quality verge pocket watches, specializing in automatic figures, rare form – and music watches and have sometimes signed “Es. et Dech.”.