Oval cased verge watch

An oval cased gilt-brass verge watch, bearing the signature of Ghylis van Gheele from Gheele in Flanders. He is listed in the 'Returns for Aliens' as van Galand and is described as a 'Clockmaker born under the obeyance of the King of Spaine, payeth tribute to no companye and is of the Dutche church'. He was married in London in 1582 and had at least two children who were baptised in 1585 and 1590. At least seven watches are known by this maker. The closest comparisions among these are two large oval watches, one dated 1589, engraved with depictions of Justice and Charity on the outside of the case now in the British Museum Collections (inv. no. MLA 1874,7-18.13). The second, a very similar watch dated 1581 now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, with a case also engraved with depictions of Charity and Justice (inv. Mallet no. 5).