Rare Gold and Bloodstone Chatelaine Watch, circa 1750

Dealer description — Pieces of Time

A mid 18 th Century English verge in a fine 22 carat gold mounted bloodstone consular case and matching chatelaine. Full plate fire gilt movement with square baluster pillars. Pierced and engraved masked cock, pierced and engraved foot and plate for the silver regulator disc. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Plain three arm gilt balance, blue steel spiral hairspring. Wound through the white enamel dial, Roman and Arabic numerals, blue steel beetle and poker hands. Polished bloodstone consular case with gold mounts. A single piece of bloodstone forms the back of the case secured to the hinged gold bezels by a gold repousse frame chased and engraved with a representation of a cherub and doves. The front bezel set with four separate pieces of bloodstone. Gold pendant and bow. Fine matching chatelaine, the gilt clip faced with a thin piece of bloodstone secured under a gold repousse frame. Similarly decorated cartouche attached to the clip by a hinge. Five matching chains are supported by the clip of alternating cast links and gold rings. The watch hangs from the centre chain on a small hinged gold clip with threaded safety collar. The outer chains both have egg shaped accessories of differing design. The smaller of these is constructed in a similar fashion to the watch with two bloodstone shells mounted on a hinged gold middle. The other is formed from fine gold filigree work joined by a screw thread and has a gilt lining painted black. The two inner chains have five well carved pieces of coral in the form of a hand, a shoe, a dog, a fish and head of a jester. Two other small black carvings, possibly jet, are in the form of a shoe and a jug. Additionally, and most unusually, the gold watch key is attached to the top of the chatelaine by a hinge and swivel hinged gilt clip with threaded safety collar. Recent red velvet lined black morocco fitted display box.