Swiss silver coach clock with self strike and alarm Circa 1675

Silver single-handed verge clock watch by César Servel
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A Swiss single-handed verge clock watch with alarm and hour self strike, circa 1675.
Signed, keywind, fire gilt full plate movement with floral engraving and open work decor on the barrel, pierced movement pillars, hammers, three-arm steel balance, and florally engraved and pierced balance bridge. Silver dial with inlaid radial Roman numerals and blued single steel hand on the outer silver hour ring; and an inner brass alarm ring with inlaid Arabic numerals, single steel hand, and central openwork brass foliate decor. Two cases: an outer protective case – silver, polished, à goutte, with a large outer hinge: an inner case – silver, with delicate openwork and engraved foliate decor, engraved bezel with floral and geometrical ornamentation, and rear bell.
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Diameter: 62 mm
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Weight: 216 g
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Signed: César Servel à Genève
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César Servel, French / Swiss watchmaker in Geneva.
César Servel (César Servel De Thoiry) was born in the Pays de Gex. The Pays de Gex is a landscape in the Ain department in eastern France, between the first Jura chain and the Swiss cantons of Geneva and Vaud. It is named after the main town Gex. César moved to Geneva and became an apprentice, which was unusual at the time, and the “Conseil” was against the law. It was feared that this would create competition from the Pays de Gex. César Servel married the daughter of a master, he was again granted a favour. In 1676 he became a master-watchmaker.
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To the watch shown
A strikingly similar case has a single-hand spindle pocket watch with an hourly self-strike by Estienne Hubert à Roüen (à Rouen), which was sold at Dr H. Crott was auctioned in the 86th auction under lot no. 243 and which is dated around 1680; You could think that the same case maker made these watch cases because they are all covered in exactly the same naturalistic style by Gilles Légaré with a fabric made of stems, leaves and flowers of tulips, lilies and strawberries, and the working technique at least points to his workshop there.