Fine and beautiful English gold repousee pair case verge and fusee quarter
hour bell repeater by Claude Viet, London, circa 1730.
Vet is famous for his clocks and apparently made fewer watches.
The case with chased and pierced and engraved borders (to let the sound out),
the back with a feasting scene, (typical wear) probably of a victorious soldier
returning home. White enamel dial with bold numerals (repaired chip at 6:00)
and blued steel beetle and poker hands. The inner case with beautifully
executed pierced and engraved inhabited foliage.
The movement with fine pierced and engraved balance cock,
the foot and regulator plate also pierced and engraved.
With dust cover and pulse piece.
When the pendant is depressed this watch chimes the time loudly and clearly
on the bell in the back of the inner case. This watch is also fitted with a pulse piece.
If you want to know the time without disturbing others, you push in this
little button and you can feel the watch strike but the hammers do not
strike the bell.