Dial, cuvette and movement signed by Charman, dial plate punch numbered. DIAM. 61.5 mm. This large and heavy, beautifully decorated musical watch has a very high quality movement almost certainly made by PIGUET & MEYLAN, the main exponents of this particular type of sur-plateau movement. Despite being entirely of Swiss craftsmanship, this watch is very much made in the English style in particular the single-footed balance cock. It was ordered by CHARMAN in London with the intention of exporting it to China. Because English-made goods were regarded by the Chinese as of superior quality at the time, when the London watchmaker's ordered watches from Switzerland, their movements were made to appear English-made, although at the same time the cases were decorated with enamel very much with the intention of appealing to the Chinese taste. WILLIAM ILBERY (?-1839) Active in London from 1780. Following JAMES COX in London and JAQUET DROZ in Switzerland, he specialized in luxury watches made for the Chinese market. He set a new standard for watches made for the Asian market. Ilbery can therefore be considered the "father" of "Chinese" watches as they are known today. Ilbery's watch cases were decorated by Geneva's best enamelers, such as JEAN-FRANCOIS-VICTOR Dupont and JEAN-LOUIS RICHTER. He seems to have maintained close contacts with the continental trade, since a watch signed "Ilbery Paris" is known and ILBERY & SON are recorded in London and Fleurier, as well as in Canton. ISAAC DANIEL PIGUET Born in 1775 in Le Chenit in the Vallée de Joux, Isaac Daniel Piguet was the son of PIERRE MOÏSE PIGUET and ELISABETH NICOLE. He married JEANNE FRANÇOISE CAPT around 1795, and around 1800 settled in Geneva with his family. Isaac Daniel Piguet went into business with HENRY DANIEL CAPT, his brother- in-law, on February 10, 1802. The association between PIGUET & MEYLAN came to an end in 1828. Piguet and his son David Auguste established a new company, PIGUET PÈRE & FILS, located at No. 69 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He died in Geneva, on January 20, 1841. PHILIPPE SAMUEL MEYLAN Born February 15, 1772, in Bas-du- Chenit, died in 1845. At 20 years old he came to Geneva where he worked for the GODEMAR FRÈRES as a Master worker. Afterwards he went back to Brassus where he founded a little factory in 1811. He then returned to Geneva where he settled. He met another watchmaker from his own village, ISAAC PIGUET, with whom he entered into partnership, founding the PIGUET & MEYLAN firm, which would last from 1811 to 1828. It specialised in minute cadratures, musical watches, skeleton or automaton watches, mechanical animals and figures, he is also credited with the invention of the bagnolet caliber.