Silver cased verge clock-watch

Description — British Museum

---- MOVEMENT Frame: Circular gilt-brass plates with four baluster pillars. A separate bridge on the pillar-plate. ---- Going train ---- Mainspring & Set-up: The gilt-brass barrel with snap-on cap and square hooking is a replacement. The present ratchet and click set-up is modern. Two vacant holes in the potence-plate, one of them rectangular, provide evidence for the original set-up which was probably of the ratchet and click type with a gilt-brass elaborately pierced click. ---- Fusee and stop-work: Replacement fusee used in conjunction with the chain which is also a later modification. English stop-work. ---- Train: Three-wheel train of gilt-brass wheels which all appear to be replacements. ---- Escapement: All the components on the escapement, including the potence are replacements. Only the counter-potence is probably original but this has a new large plug. The balance-cock is of late 18th century date as also is the gilt-brass slide regulator. ---- Striking train: A train of six wheels, all replacements, the last being a plain pinion, is driven by a gilt-brass pierced and engraved fixed barrel. The brass count-wheel on the potence-plate is probably a replacement. The release consists of a 12-point star-wheel mounted on the dial wheel. Warned release provided provided by two gates which are both replacements. ---- DIAL: The silver dial-plate is engraved on the underside with a foliate design. The front is engraved with a scrolling foliate border with nude figures at the top and sides holding fruit. The hole for the case catch is also decorated with engraved fruit. Applied gilt-brass chapter-ring with Roman hour numerals I-XII and heart-shaped half-hour marks. In the middle and engraved landscape with a castle in the background and two swans on the moat in the foreground. The original bayonet fixing for the movement is now badly damaged and the dial is now retained by a screw and two pinned feet. The blued-steel hand is not original. ---- CASE: Silver case with a hinged lid and integral back. The band has an upper border of scrolling foliage and fruit in a series of panels. The back and band are pierced and engraved in a series of eight panels with a border of roundels. Each panel contains a human figure playing a musical instrument. The case was originally pierced and engraved all over but the back is now covered with a later solid silver plate with two rotating winding covers. the pendant is possibly not original and a hole at the bottom suggests a finial which is now missing. The bezel is decorated in a similar manner to the band with eight pierced and engraved foliate panels. It is likely that the lid was originally solid and engraved all over. At a later date it was glazed. The bell in the back of the case is probably original but the central square mounting boss is now missing.

Curator's comments — British Museum

The evidence suggests that the watch was at one time in a serious condition. The result is that the whole of the going train, including the barrel and set-up, have been replaced. This is also true of the striking train where only the the gilt-brass barrel is original. From the style of the balance cock etc it appears that these modifications took place in the late 18th century.