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22ct Gold Repousee Pair-Cased Pocket Watch Maker Thomas Rea, 1769 — view 1 of 6
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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

22ct Gold Repousee Pair-Cased Pocket Watch Maker Thomas Rea, 1769

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
1769
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Pocket watch
Materials / technique
gold
Stock no.
Product 5190
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 5190)
Catalogue title (original)
22ct Gold Repousee Pair-Cased Pocket Watch Maker Thomas Rea (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by WatchMuseum.org shop (stock number Product 5190), this is a pocket watch, dated 1769. The Atlas places it in the Precision & Scientific Horology period (1750 – 1850) of its Pocket Watches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: gold. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — WatchMuseum.org shop

Step back in time and embrace the elegance of the 18th century with this magnificent 22ct Gold Repoussé Pair-Cased Pocket Watch, crafted by the esteemed watchmaker Thomas Rea in 1769. This exceptional piece, originating from Walton-on-Trent, epitomizes the grandeur and meticulous craftsmanship of its era, featuring a stunning 22ct gold repoussé pair-case meticulously designed by I W of London. The watch’s movement is a marvel of engineering, boasting a verge escapement and a beautifully pierced and engraved balance cock, showcasing the intricate artistry of the period. The outer case is a work of art in itself, adorned with a perfectly preserved 18th-century scene, complete with scroll, flower, and leaf edging that captures the essence of Baroque style. The dial remains flawless, free from any hairline cracks, ensuring that the watch not only stands as a testament to its historical significance but also as a functional timepiece in perfect working condition. Weighing 99.8 grams, this round-shaped pocket watch, with its manual wind movement and dimensions of 63.5 mm in height, 19.05 mm in width, and a diameter of 50.8 mm, is a rare find from the period of 1760-1769, encapsulating the timeless beauty and enduring craftsmanship of its creator, Thomas Rea, and offering a glimpse into the opulent world of 18th-century England. This exquisite pocket watch is a true treasure. Made in 1769 by Thomas Rea in Walton-on-Trent, it features a 22ct gold repoussé pair-case crafted by I W of London. The attention to detail is simply remarkable. The movement boasts a verge escapement, with a delicately pierced and engraved balance cock. The outer case is adorned with an immaculately preserved 18th-century scene, complete with scroll, flower, and leaf edging. The dial is flawless, without any hairline cracks. Rest assured, this watch is in perfect working condition, a testament to its craftsmanship and timeless beauty. Creator: Thomas Rea Case Material: 22k Gold Weight: 99.8 g Case Shape: Round Movement: Manual Wind Case Dimensions: Height: 63.5 mm (2.5 in)Width: 19.05 mm (0.75 in)Diameter: 50.8 mm (2 in) Style: Baroque Place of Origin: England Period: 1760-1769 Date of Manufacture: 1769 Condition: Good

Historical context

Precision & Scientific Horology (1750 – 1850)

Harrison solves longitude; Mudge invents the lever; Breguet's Paris workshop defines the modern watch.

From 1750 to 1850 the watch became a precision instrument. Mudge's lever escapement, the cylinder escapement, Lépine's thin bar calibre, Breguet's innovations (overcoil, tourbillon, perpétuelle) and the pocket chronometer of Arnold and Earnshaw all date from this period, while verge watches remained common in cheaper production.

Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Early Modern Horology

Atlas type guide

Verge and pair-cased watches

After Christiaan Huygens and Robert Hooke applied the balance spring around 1675, the verge watch became a reasonably reliable timekeeper and the minute hand became standard. Through the eighteenth century the typical English watch was a pair-cased verge: a fusee movement with a pierced, engraved balance cock, housed in an inner case and a separate protective outer case, often of repoussé gold, shagreen, tortoiseshell or enamel.

French watches of the same period were thicker 'oignons', later replaced by elegant thinner watches following Jean-Antoine Lépine's bar-bridge calibre of c. 1770. Dutch, Swiss and German makers supplied international markets, and verge watches were made until the mid-nineteenth century as cheaper alternatives to the cylinder and lever.

What to look for

  • The pierced balance cock on the backplate: winged (continental) or with a foot (English); its style dates the watch.
  • Fusee and chain visible through the movement; key winding through the dial (early) or case back.
  • Hallmarks inside English silver or gold cases, which give a date letter.
  • Maker's name and serial number engraved on the backplate; watch papers inside outer cases.
  • Enamel dials (after c. 1720) versus earlier champlevé metal dials.

Dating clues

  • Champlevé dials: c. 1680–1730; white enamel dials thereafter.
  • English case hallmarks give the year of assay to within a year.
  • Verge watches persisted in cheap production until c. 1850.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Read next:FuseeBalance spring (hairspring)Verge escapement

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