French gold and enamel repeating verge watch Circa 1777

Gold and enamel chatelaine watch
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A very fine gold and enamel quarter repeating à toc verge pocket watch and matching chatelaine made by Daniel-François Vauchez in Paris, France, circa 1777. The case of this watch is of high quality and crafted from pink gold and silver, has a back lid with blue enamel and inlaid gold stars, both sides are set with turquoise glass pearls, has French gold punches and an opening button at 3 o’clock which is set with diamonds instead of a glass pearl. The white enamel dial has Roman hour numerals, Arabic five minutes, probably the original hour and a replaced minute hand. The numbered movement has a verge escapement, repeating the hours and quarters à toc. Additionally, the watch comes with a gold and enamel chatelaine in matching colours, dark blue turquoise with two seal pendants and the original gold key.
Dial and movement signed.
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Diameter: 35 mm
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Weight: 43 g
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Signed: Vauchez en la Cité à Paris 
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The Vauchez or Vaucher family originally came from Fleurier, Switzerland and produced so many skilled watchmakers that attributing individual watches to their maker is very difficult. The best known was Daniel-François Vauchez.

Daniel-François was born in Fleurier in 1716 and married with nine children. Vauchez had to leave the country in 1760 and moved to Paris, where he became a master watchmaker. His wife and children initially remained in Fleurier but eventually joined him in Paris. He likely had a close relationship with Ferdinand Berthoud, which contributed to his success as a watchmaker. By 1767, he was listed as a watchmaker and from 1769 to 1790 he had a workshop in the rue Saint-Pierre-aux-Boeufs in Paris. He signed his high quality timepieces with ‘Vauchez à Paris’ and ‘Vauchez en la Cité’. Five of his sons, Jonas-Frédéric-Louis, Jean-Henri-David, François-Daniel-Abraham, Jean-Jacques, Samuel-Henri-André and his daughter Isabelle-Salomé also became watchmakers. 

Daniel-François died around 1790 in Paris and Jean-Henri-David continued the business. In a poignant letter from 1826, it is mentioned that Samuel-Henri-André and François-Daniel-Abraham were still living in poverty in Paris and were nearly blind. 

Various clocks bearing the signature ‘Vauchez à Paris’ and ‘Vauchez en la Cité’ can be found in museum collections across Europe, including the Musée du Louvre in Paris.