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Watch MuseumHorology Atlas

Identification centre

Photo identifier

Upload a photo of a watch or clock. The Atlas lists what it can see, reads any legible signature, estimates a date range and finds comparable records in the catalogue — with every uncertainty marked.

Add a photo of your timepiece

Drag a photo here, or choose one. The dial straight on works best.

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Your photo is sent to an AI model for this one analysis and is not kept by the Atlas. Please avoid photos showing people, documents or addresses.

How it works

  1. 1Add a clear photoDial straight on, or the movement with the case open. One object per photo.
  2. 2The model describes what it can seeCase, dial, hands, winding, visible movement parts and any legible signature — each marked by how clearly the photo shows it.
  3. 3The Atlas finds comparisonsCatalogue records that share those features and period, each with the reason it was chosen.
  4. 4You check the evidenceUse the identification guides and hallmark tables to confirm or correct the result.

Before you start

Photographs that identify a timepiece

The same set of photographs museum cataloguers ask for. Start with the first; each extra view narrows the result.

  1. 1Dial straight on, in even light, without reflections
  2. 2Case back, outside and inside, with all marks legible
  3. 3Movement straight on and at an angle, showing the escapement
  4. 4Close-ups of every signature, number and hallmark
  5. 5Side views of the case, pendant, crown and bow
  6. 6Hands and dial edge close-up (for redial and replacement checks)
  7. 7A ruler or scale in at least one picture

Limits

What a photograph cannot settle

Originality
A photo cannot show whether the dial, hands, case or movement are original to each other. Marriages and replacements are common in antique watches and clocks.
Authenticity
Signatures and brand names can be added or copied. Treat a legible name as a lead to check, never as proof.
Hidden evidence
Escapement, calibre, serial numbers and hallmarks are usually inside the case. Without them, dating stays a range.
Condition and value
Running order, wear and restoration need the object in hand. The Atlas does not give valuations.

Questions

Is my photo stored?

No. The photo is resized in your browser, sent once to an AI model for the analysis, and not saved by the Atlas. The model service used keeps no copy of the request.

How accurate is it?

It is good at describing what is visible — case form, dial, hands, winding, visible movement parts — and at reading clear signatures. Dates are estimates from style and are given as a range. Every feature is marked by how clearly the photo shows it.

Why are the suggested records different from my piece?

They are comparisons chosen from the features, maker and period the model found, so you can see similar objects with full catalogue details. They are not claimed to be the same object or model.

What photo works best?

One object per photo, in even daylight, without reflections: the dial straight on first, then the movement with the case open, then any marks inside the case back.

Prefer to work it out yourself? Use the escapement and clock-type decision trees, hallmark tables and dating clues.