English gold watch, case by Guillaume Bouvier Circa 1748

Gold, enamel, repousse and shagreen triple cased verge watch
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An English impressive gold, enamel, repousse and shagreen triple cased verge watch, the gold and enamel case by Guillaume Bouvier, circa 1748, gilded full plate movement, verge escapement, plain flat balance, decoratively pierced and foliate engraved masked balance cock, fusee and chain, baluster pillars, signed Thomas Gardener, London.
White enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer Arabic minute ring, blued steel beetle and poker hands.
Plain gold inner case with maker’s mark DA (probably Daniel Aveline), gold mid-case with repoussé scene of the Toilet of Venus against an opaque blue enamel background within a symmetric border of white enamel, signed GB for Guillaume Bouvier to the base of the scene and either side of ruby-set push-piece, outermost case gilt-finished with shagreen covering decorated with gold piqué work.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Signed: Thomas Gardener London

The impressive gold and enamel decoration of the middle case is by Guillaume Bouvier and lends a continental feel to this otherwise thoroughly English watch. David Thompson, in his book Watches, notes that Guillaume Bouvier worked with Daniel Cochin. Bouvier and Cochin are noted for their distinctive combination of repoussé and enamel work and the
present case is an especially fine example. For another case by Bouvier, of similar decorative style, see: D. Thompson, The British Museum Watches. Whilst it is known that Bouvier worked in Paris (and possibly, like Cochin, also Geneva) it is not clear if Bouvier settled for a time in London or whether the case of this watch would have been sent to his workshops for decoration.