English gold, enamel and pearl cylinder watch Circa 1800

Gold open faced cylinder watch
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A gold and enamel and pearl watch, circa 1800. Gilt full plate cylinder movement, balance cock pierced and engraved with scrolls, diamond endstone, white enamel dial, stylized Arabic numerals, outer minute track, outer gilt metal case with glazed back, inner gold case, bezels set with pearls heightened by blue enamel, back with blue translucent blue enamel over guilloché centred by a medallion with a braided lock of hair, movement signed.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: Thomas Earnshaw London
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Property of a distinguished collector
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Thomas Earnshaw (1749-1829) was an influential watchmaker specializing in chronometers. Following the methods of his contemporary John Arnold (see lot 227 for an example from Arnold’s son, John Roger) Earnshaw developed a chronometer detent escapement mounted on springs rather than the previous method of pivoting the detent. Earnshaw’s most recognized contribution to horology, however, is the bimetallic compensation balance, seen in modern watches with regularity.