Early Dutch polychrome verge

An early Dutch verge pocket watch, with polychrome dial, in a cast silver repousse pair case.

MOVEMENT : Gilded verge escapement, with beautifully engraved and pierced balance bridge. Four wonderful and very unusual architectural pillars and large silver regulator disk.

Signed (Gerrit Rensman, Zwol).

The movement is in very good condition, and is running well.

DIAL : Enamel polychrome dial, with gilt ribbed rim. The dial is very well painted with a naval scene, showing a sailor with his pipe and a ship in the background.

In good condition with no restoration. There is some fading to the arcaded chapter ring, and some light scratches but no hairlines.

Gilt, typically Continental, fancy hands.

INNER CASE : Deep silver case, with no marks.

In good condition but with slight compression around the band. Original stem though the bow may be later.

The hinge has the central sleeve detached but the bezel snaps shut nicely. The high dome bull’s eye crystal is fine.

The steel case catch though the dial plate is slightly out of line with the groove cut into the case rim. The dial is held firmly when the bezel snaps shut, but this may indicate that the inner case is a replacement.

OUTER CASE : A heavy cast silver repousse pair case, decorated with a classical scene to the back, and foliage to the bezel and sides.

In quite good condition, with just some wear to the high points on the back, and some signs of old repairs to the bezel and rims. The catch, catch button and hinge are fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly.

This repousse case is unusual, in that it is cast rather than hammered repousse work.
This results in a much heavier case, and is more commonly found in Dutch silver cases.

Gerrit Rensman is listed in Zwol, Holland in the early 18th century.