A beautiful quality gold cased pocket watch, with a quarter/hour repeating movement and very rare ruby cylinder escapement. All in particularly good condition.

MOVEMENT : Ruby cylinder movement, incorporating an hour/quarter repeating function which is activated by pushing down the stem. Finely engraved balance cock and barrel bridge. Blues screws and diamond endstone. Signed (GRANT, Fleet Street, London) and numbered (3696).

The repeater strikes two gongs, with one chime for the hours and two for the quarters. The repeating function can be disabled by a slide button on the side of the case. Both movement and repeat function are running correctly.

DIAL : Fine gold engine turned dial with gold serpentine hands. Both dial and hands are in very nice condition. The domed crystal has a few light scratches but no chips.

CASE : Heavy 18ct rose gold, with thick ribbed band, fluted bezels and engine turned back.

The inner dustcap is hallmarked for London 1811, maker LC (rubbed). The back is signed and numbered as the movement.

The outer dustcap is also hallmarked (rubbed). The central cartouche on the back features a family crest (stag),

All hinges and catches are fine and both covers (and bezel) snap closed.
The case is in very good condition with no damage or repairs, with the engine turning still crisp.

The ruby cylinder was used by Abraham Louis Breguet to reduce the friction in cylinder escapements. The cylinder itself is composed of a half tube formed ruby, set into two steel plugs, each with a pivot. This was a very expensive innovation and is rarely found.

John Grant is listed at Fleet Street, London until his death in 1810, so this watch may have been made a year or two before being hallmarked.