Rare English 18K gold hunting cased pocket watch Circa 1808

Gold cylinder pocket watch
–
A very fine and rare English 18 carat gold hunting cased pocket watch, circa 1808. An Empire case, back cover and band engine turned, polished bezel. White enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer minute ring, subsidiary seconds and blued steel Arrow hands. Gilt brass, full plate movement, cylindrical pillars, fusee and chain, cylinder escapement with brass escape wheel, gold three-arm balance, blued steel flat balance spring jewelled and capped, small single-footed clock engraved, gilt brass dust-cap. Signed on the dial and cuvette.
–
Diameter: 52 mm
–
Thickness: 19 mm
–
Signed: Josiah Emery  London
–
Josiah Emery was born in 1725 in Etagnières, Switzerland and later settled in London, England at 33 Cockspur Street. He is best known as a pioneer of the lever escapement. Emery followed Thomas Mudge as the second maker of lever watches, deriving inspiration directly from the latter’s in-line lever escapement model, but from his own design. Count von Brühl, Ambassador to Great Britain for the Court of Saxony and Thomas Mudge’s steadfast patron and friend, encouraged Emery to make several lever watches. Although Mudge conceived the idea of the lever escapement in 1754, it was not until 1770 that he presented his first watch with this escapement to King George II, and it was only 11 years after this, in 1781, that Emery began work on his own lever watches. He continued to do so for the rest of his life.