Watch 1761 - 1771

This gold pocket watch, created by French artist Jean Antoine Lépine between 1761 and 1771, is a fine example of 18th-century craftsmanship. The watch's intricate design features a delicate enamel portrait of a woman set within an oval frame and encircled by an ornate border of gold and green enamel leaves. The watch is currently part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York City. Lépine was a renowned watchmaker who perfected the lever escapement, a mechanism that significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of timekeeping. His work is celebrated for its artistic quality and technical innovation.