Note: Very much inspired by the Breguet "montre à tact", this watch is described by George Daniels in English and American Watches, 1967, pp. 100-101 and in Watches 1979, p1. 273 a-d. The mention invenit on the dial, certainly refers to the Cole's resilient escapement, invented in 1830. In this escapement, the actions of lock, lift and draw are the same as though the teeth were shaped in dotted lines. The draw continues until the pallet strikes the inclined part of the tooth which serves as an elastic banking. The No. 1830 of this watch could also refer to the date of the invention. JAMES FERGUSON COLE 1798-1880 son of James and Catherine Cole of Nether Stowey in Somerset. In 1821 he was working at the address of Hans Place, Chelsea, London, when he applied for a patent for a pivoted escapement (No. 4530). The same year he moved for 10 Park Lane, in Piccadilly and in 1823 to 3 New Bond Street. Brother of Thomas Cole, he was the inventor of many variants of the lever and other escapements. Manufacturer of high grade watches and docks, he is often considered as the "English Breguet" due to the originality of his production and to the fact that he was among the first watch-makers in England to abandon full plate movements in favour of thin bar calibres similar to those used by Breguet following Lepine. In about 1825, he took his younger brother Thomas into partnership. From then, until 1829, the brothers worked together, before going their separate ways. James Ferguson Cole moved first to No.1 Maddox Street, Regent Street, and then in about 1835 to 9 Motcomb Street, Belgrave Square, where he remained until 1846 when, like his brother, he left for Clerkenwell, 30 Granville Square, not far from Upper Vernon Street where he lived with his wife and family. James Ferguson Cole left Clerkenwell, in the early fifties, for 20 Devonshire Street and 11 Great James Street successively, while he made his family home at 5 Queen's Square, Bloomsbury.