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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

Swiss 14CT Gold Monopol Pocket Watch, c. 1920s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
c. 1920s
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Pocket watch
Materials / technique
gold
Stock no.
Product 2408
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 2408)
Catalogue title (original)
Swiss 14CT Gold Monopol Pocket Watch (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 2408), this is a pocket watch, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1920s. 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 with the Swiss 14CT Gold Monopol Pocket Watch from the 1920s, a masterpiece that epitomizes the elegance and precision of Swiss craftsmanship. This exquisite timepiece, meticulously crafted in Switzerland, features a stunning 14ct gold hunter case with plain front and back covers, fully signed and numbered, ensuring its authenticity and heritage. The pristine white enamel dial, adorned with Arabic numerals and an outer minute track, is complemented by the original Louis XVI style filigree hands and a blued steel seconds hand, offering a touch of vintage charm. Inside, the watch houses a jewelled, Keyless Lever mechanism with a fast slow regulator and compensation balance, showcasing the impeccable condition and reliability of its movement. The gilt metal cuvette, signed by the retailer Gebr Eppner Berlin, adds a layer of historical significance to this already remarkable piece. With a sleek and timeless design, this pocket watch, measuring 48 mm in diameter, is a prime example of early 20th-century Swiss ingenuity and style, making it a treasured addition to any collection. Introducing the beautiful Monopol pocket watch from the 1920s. Crafted in Switzerland, this exquisite timepiece boasts a stunning 14ct gold hunter case with plain front and back covers, fully signed and numbered. The white enamel dial is pristine, with Arabic numerals and an outer minute track, complimented by the original Louis XVI style filigree hands and blued steel seconds hand. The movement is also in impeccable condition, featuring a clean, jewelled, Keyless Lever mechanism with a fast slow regulator and compensation balance. The gilt metal cuvette is signed by the retailer of the watch, Gebr Eppner Berlin. Overall, this is a prime example of Swiss craftsmanship, with a sleek and timeless design that will make it a treasured addition to any collection. Case Material: 18k Gold,Rose Gold Case Shape: Round Case Dimensions: Diameter: 48 mm (1.89 in) Place of Origin: Switzerland Period: Early 20th Century Date of Manufacture: C1920s 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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