An early French verge watch with interesting decoration to the outer case, showing Royalist loyalty during the French Revolution.

MOVEMENT : Signed gilt brass verge movement, with four square pillars, engraved balance cock and plate, and silver regulator disc. Complete and running.

DIAL : 37 mm. White enamel dial, with a repair on the edge at 4 o’clock. Fancy gilt hands. This dial is probably a replacement.

INNER CASE : 41 mm. Gilt brass. Reasonable condition though the gilding has been worn from some of the outer surfaces. The high dome crystal is fine. The hinge is bent and worn, though the bezel does snap shut.

OUTER CASE : 47 mm. Gilt brass repousse with gem set bezel. Good condition with slight wear to high points of the repousse work, resulting in some loss to the gilding. The hinge and catch are fine and the case snaps shut nicely. The bezel is complete with no stones (glass ?) missing.

The symbols in the repousse work on the back of the case include a cannon and white flags, symbols of the royalists during the French revolution.

Vigniaux is listed in Toulouse between 1788 and 1802 during which time he published several books on horology.