Fine and rare giant gilt brass, painted enamel and stone set Chinese market calendar pair case
coach watch by Staples, London, circa 1780.
The back with a lovely scene (fully restored) of a couple and a bare breasted maiden in a landscape within
a stone set border. Fine white enamel dial with indications for day, age of the moon, date, and
running seconds. The inner case fully engraved. The outer case beautifully pierced and chased
and engraved. Gilt brass dust cover over the movement with pierced and engraved balance
cock set with a diamond endstone.
This watch started out as a chiming repeater with a verge escapement. As a later date the
chiming work was removed and the watch was expertly converted to a calendar with a lever
escapement. Cherished early watches like this one were sometimes modernized to meet the owner's changing needs.