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Art Deco 18k Solid Gold Rolex Pocket Watch – 1920’s — view 1 of 6
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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

Art Deco 18k Solid Gold Rolex Pocket Watch – 1920’s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
20th century
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Pocket watch
Materials / technique
gold
Stock no.
Product 2312
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 2312)
Catalogue title (original)
Art Deco 18k Solid Gold Rolex Pocket Watch – 1920’s (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by WatchMuseum.org shop (stock number Product 2312), this is a pocket watch, dated 20th century. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) 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 immerse yourself in the elegance of the roaring 1920s with this Art Deco 18k Solid Gold Rolex Pocket Watch. This exceptional timepiece is a testament to Rolex’s enduring craftsmanship and is preserved in mint condition, showcasing its impeccable working order despite nearly a century of history. The pocket watch features a sophisticated double hunter design, adorned with a pristine white porcelain dial that boasts hand-painted Roman numerals, original hands, and a subsidiary seconds dial at the 6 o’clock position. Encased in solid 18k gold by the renowned Dennison Watch Case company, the 48mm case is a masterpiece of intricate engravings and English hallmarks, including a fineness stamp of 18, a gold crown, and a letter date and anchor from Birmingham circa 1923. The inner engravings add a personal touch, reading “May Marchbank 25/12/24,” further enhancing its unique allure. Upon opening, the watch reveals a meticulously crafted manual movement with 17 jewels, signed “Rolex” and featuring 3 adjustments, a cam regulator, and exposed winding gears. Weighing a substantial 104.1 grams, this pocket watch is not only a functional timepiece but also a significant piece of horological history. Presented in a generic box, this rare and collectible Rolex pocket watch is a distinguished addition to any collection, embodying the timeless elegance and precision of the Art Deco era. Introducing a rare and exquisite timepiece from Rolex, dating back to the early 1920s. This pocket watch is in a mint condition and maintains its excellent working order despite its age. The watch boasts a double hunter design and features a white porcelain dial with hand-painted Roman numerals, signed and featuring original hands, and a subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock. Measuring 48mm, the case is crafted from solid 18K gold by Dennison Watch Case company – “A.L.D.”. The case bears English hallmarks, including a fineness stamp of 18, a gold crown, letter date and anchor (c1923 Birmingham), and numbered 265632 on both lids. The case features intricate engravings on both sides, as well as inner engravings reading “May Marchbank 25/12/24.” Opening the watch reveals a manual movement with 17 jewels, signed “Rolex” and numbered, with 3 adjustments, a cam regulator, and exposed winding gears. The total weight of the watch is 104.1g. The watch comes in a generic box, adding to its inherent collectability and desirability. Own a piece of Rolex’s history with this rarely seen treasure. Creator: Rolex Case Material: Gold,18k Gold,Yellow Gold Weight: 104.1 g Case Shape: Round Movement: Manual Wind Case Dimensions: Diameter: 48 mm (1.89 in) Style: Art Deco Place of Origin: Switzerland Period: 1920-1929 Date of Manufacture: 1920’s Condition: Excellent

Historical context

Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)

The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.

The pocket watch reached technical maturity and then began to give way to the wristwatch after the First World War. Complicated watches for collectors such as Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard, railroad watches, and slim Art Deco dress watches are characteristic.

Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution

Atlas type guide

Pocket watches

The pocket watch was the dominant personal timekeeper from the late seventeenth century until the First World War. Its development tracks the history of the escapement: verge watches with fusees until the late eighteenth century; Thomas Mudge's lever escapement (c. 1755) and the cylinder escapement popularised by George Graham and later by Swiss makers; and the Swiss and English lever watches of the nineteenth century. Lépine's bar-bridge calibre and keyless winding made watches thinner and easier to use.

Industrialisation transformed the trade: American factories such as Waltham (from 1850) and Elgin produced interchangeable parts by machine, and Swiss makers responded with their own mechanisation after the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition. By 1900 a reliable watch was affordable to millions; the finest makers continued to produce complications and precision watches.

What to look for

  • The escapement: verge (crown wheel), cylinder, duplex, English or Swiss lever.
  • Key winding (a square arbor in dial or back) or keyless crown winding.
  • Signatures and serial numbers on the movement, dial and inside case back.
  • Hallmarks, case maker's marks and gold or silver standards stamped in the case.
  • Dial material: enamel, silver, gold, later printed metal.

Dating clues

  • Verge watches dominate before c. 1800; cylinder watches c. 1770–1900; lever watches after c. 1820.
  • Keyless winding: increasingly common after c. 1860.
  • Manufacturer serial number lists exist for Waltham, Elgin, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe and others.

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:Verge escapementDetached lever escapementFuseeIdentification Centre

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