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. His early production was in the English style, with a full plate movement and an English type single wheel duplex escapement; however for his highest quality watches he incorporated a spring detent escapement. The cases were in the style of those made in England at the time. Later, his watch movements were much inspired by the Lepine caliber with freestanding barrel, as were those of Jaquet Droz?s Swiss production signed in London and that of William Anthony, who worked in London. He set a new standard for watches made for the Asian market. He had profusely engraved movements made in Switzerland, mainly in Fleurier, being followed in this by makers such as Bovet and Juvet. Bovet and Juvet organized the mass production of silver-cased watches and later, once their Canton manufactures were opened, assembled them in China. 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.