Early 18thc. Swiss Alarm Watch

An early 18thc. Swiss verge alarm in gilded silver repousse pair cases.

MOVEMENT : Gilt movement, with pierced and engraved balance cock, ruby/garnet endstone, and four square baluster pillars. Signed Terrot & Thuillier.
The alarm is driven by a second mainspring, within an engraved barrel, driving a steel hammer via the steel alarm mechanism. The alarm spring is wound independently of the watch mainspring.
Both alarm and watch movement are working.

DIAL : Fine silver champleve dial, with inner silver alarm disk.
The alarm is set by using the steel square aperture at 6 to turn the alarm disk (always turn the disk clockwise) until the desired alarm time coincides with the tail of the hour hand. As the movement runs, the alarm disk turns with the hour hand until the alarm time is reached, when the alarm is fired. A double steel hammer strikes the bell (within the inner case) until the alarm disk is moved (clockwise) or the alarm spring runs down.
The silver dial and alarm disk are both in good condition.
Black steel hands. The minute is probably a replacement.

INNER CASE : Beautifully engraved and pierced unmarked silver gilt case.
In very good condition with no damage to the silver (some wear to the stem) and just a little wear to the gilding in places where the silver shows through. The high dome crystal and the hinge are fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly.
The bell has a good tone, with no damage or repairs.

OUTER CASE : Unmarked repousse silver gilt outer case.
The catch and hinge are fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly.

The silver is in good condition with no damage except for some of the high points on the repousse work on the back, where the metal has worn through leaving some holes (mostly to the figure on the right). Also some wear to the gilding on these high points, exposing the silver.

Philippe Terrot & Jean-Pierre Thuillier were fine watch and clock makers in Geneva between 1735 and 1750. All of the features of this watch indicate a date of about 1735.