André Hessen à Paris, 57 mm, 83 g, circa 1790

A gentleman's rare pocket watch with virgule escapement
Case: silver, tiered, glazed back. Dial: enamel, Arabic numerals, chapter ring for date, signed, gold "Poker & Beetle" hands. Movm.: full plate movement, keywind, frosted gilt, signed, large open barrel, three-arm brass balance, pierced balance bridge.

This unusual piece has a glazed back which draws the viewer’s attention to the extra large skeletonised barrel and the cut plate with the rare escapement. We assume that this may have been a demonstration model.

André Hessen
André Hessen worked as clockmaker to the king’s brother in Paris from 1775 to 1790; he later went to Stockholm. Today many of his creations are kept in Paris and Stockholm. Hessen also published the paper "Mém. sur l'Horlogerie".
Source: G.H. Baillie, "Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World", Vol. I, Edinburgh/London, 1947, p. 151.