French gold verge with matching winding key Circa 1786

Gold pocket watch studded with half pearls
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A gold enamel verge pocket watch studded with half-pearls, with matching original winding key, circa 1786.
An 18 carat gold, polychrome enamel, maker’s punch mark “LFL”, charge mark crossed double “L”: Henri Clavel (1783-1789)
Enamel dial,  full plate movement, keywind, chain/fusee, three-arm brass balance.

The two bezels on front and back are studded with half pearls. The enamel medallion on the back is decorated with a geometric pattern resembling peacock’s feathers and was created with gold paillons and green and red enameling on translucent cobalt blue, engine-turned ground.
The lavishly ornamented case has lost nothing of its appeal 200 years later – it is still a highly sought after collector’s piece.
Only very few of these enamel ornaments have survived the years undamaged  this makes a watch in its original condition like this one even more precious.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 53 g
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Signed:  Gregson, Hr. du Roy   Paris
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Jean-Pierre Gregson originally came from England. In 1776 he was appointed watchmaker to the king in Paris. He was one of the first watchmakers of his time to use the Lépine calibre.
In 1787 Gregson founded a watch manufacture in Braille.