Peter Garon, London

• Movement: gilded full plate, verge escapement, large balance cock decoratively engraved with foliage and birds and with semi-circular aperture revealing the balance in the form of a mock pendulum with spring, pierced and engraved foot, fusee and chain, tulip pillars, signed Garon, London
• Dial: silver champlevé, Roman numerals with half hour divisions between and to the ring beneath, outer Arabic minute ring, date aperture with gilded ring above 6 o'clock, blued steel tulip and poker hands, outer gilded ring, cartouche to the centre signed Garon, London with scrolling foliage beneath
• Cases: plain silver inner case, the back with shuttered winding aperture, ring bow and pendant • tortoiseshell outer case with foliate scrolling silver piqué work with gilt flower heads, the bezels set with piqué roundels
  

Terence Camerer Cuss, The English Watch 1585-1970, 2009, p. 136, pl. 67

Movement running and appears to be in clean condition, The inner case with small indentations, the case with semi circular repair directly beneath the pendant, there are also some small cracks around the edge of the repaired area. Some gapping between inner and outer case which may indicated that the outer case is associated (although of the same period as) the inner case. The outer case with some cracks to the tortoiseshell and some small losses to the pin work through the decoration, however, the decorative scheme is still clear.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping."

Although by the time this watch was made the balance spring had been widely adopted, the revolutionary improvement in time keeping that it heralded must still have been a source of wonder in the early 1700s. Within this watch, Peter Garon has used his balance cock to produce an aperture through which the action of the balance and spring can be more fully admired by the addition of a ‘mock’ pendulum. Stylistically, the balance and cock table had become larger during the 1690s which perfectly lent itself to this special ‘pendulum’ arrangement. Not only must this attractive visual arrangement have been of use to the salesman of 1700, but so too must it have brought pleasure to the owner whenever he opened up his watch.

Peter Garon was born circa 1673 to Hugenot parentage and apprenticed to Richard Baker until 1694. Brian Loomes in his book, The Early Clockmakers of Great Britain, notes that Garon was initially refused freedom of the Clockmakers’ Company as he was deemed an 'alien', but was later granted freedom of the City by the Lord Mayor and finally made a Freeman of the Clockmakers’ Company in August 1694. Garon appears to have worked at St. Bartholomew’s Lane End and later at St. Giles Cripplegate [op. cit. pp. 243-244]. F.J . Britten notes that Garon was declared bankrupt in the London Gazette of 1706 but he continued to work and his son, also called Peter, was apprenticed to him in 1713. Garon’s career finally ended in insolvency in 1723.  

For another watch by this maker, see: Sotheby's London, Celebration of the English Watch Part III, 15^th December 2016, lot 17.