Early lever watch in fine gold & enamel case

A fine early 19th century lever escapement watch, in a beautifully enamelled gold case.

MOVEMENT : Excellent quality gilt lever movement, the engraved balance cock with diamond endstone. Four round pillars, polished steel balance wheel and clean blued screws.

Signed J. Chave, Taunton and numbered 454261.

This movement is in excellent, almost mint, condition and is running well.

DIAL : White enamel dial in reasonable condition.

There is a repair on the edge between 8 and 9, some light scratches, and some short cracks around the edge at 12 and 4.

Gilt hands.

CASE : A wonderful gold case with green enamel and split seed pearl decoration to the bezel and back border. The back is decorated with a dark blue guilloche enamel surrounding a beautifully painted enamel panel to the centre..

Hallmarked for London, 22ct gold, with maker’s mark IM and case serial number 1384.

Unusually the bezel is hinged at 12 but the movement at 3.

The gold is in good condition throughout. The hinges are fine and the bezel shuts correctly. The high dome crystal is good with just some lifht scratchrs.

On the bezel the green enamel is complete with no damage, though two of the pearls are damaged.
On the back border there is a small amount of wear to the green enamel at 11, and one of the pearls is damaged. The blue guilloche enamel and pearl border on the back are perfect and the painted plaque also good with just a few short scratches.

Complete with a fine gold Breguet type ratchet key, which winds and sets the watch.

Provenance : From the estate of the late Lord Eden of Winton.

John Eden was the nephew of Prime Minister Anthony Eden, and a Member of Parliament himself, serving in the cabinet of Edward Heath’s government. On his retirement as an MP in 1983 he was also created a life peer as Baron Eden of Winton, of Rushyford in County Durham. Lord Eden died in 2020.