William Partridge Fecit

William Partridge Fecit, London, circa 1650. Exceptionally rare and fine 22K gold and cloisonné, champlevé and painted on enamel pre-balance spring, small single hand pendant watch. Two-body, "bassine" with curved in edge, entirely decorated with translucent enamel flowers on white enamel background in the cloisonné technique, light green counter-enamel, tulip pendant, small finial. Matching the case, with stylized flowers in translucent enamel against opaque white enamel background, radial Roman hour chapter on gold flinqué ring with half-hour dots. Iron tulip hand. 24 mm, gilt brass, full plate with Egyptian pillars, fusee and cat-gut, short train with 5-leaf pinions, circular iron foliot, irregular gilt cock pierced and engraved with wild strawberries secured by a screw, ratchet wheel mainspring set-up.Signed on the back plate.Diam. 29.5 mm. Notes This is a very rare example of an early British enamel watch, made by an excellent Royal watchmaker.The technique of enamel was dominated by the French. At least one of the Blois enamelists moved to England, but generally, the art of enamel in England developed independently, and therefore had its own particular characteristics. Few similar cases with French movements are known: the Louvre Museum has a spectacular watch by J. Jolly of Paris (inv. OA 7032); others are in the Patek Philippe Museum, the Walters Museum, etc. Such English watches, however, are extremely rare. William Partridge. He became a Brother in the Clock