
Pocket Watches · Pocket watch
Verge with classic English dial, 1775
- Maker / attribution
- Unrecorded in source
- Date
- 1775
- Historical period
- Precision & Scientific Horology (1750 – 1850)
- Country of origin
- England
- Object type
- Pocket watch
- Dealer
- WatchMuseum.org shop
- Stock no.
- Product 5865
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 5865)
- Catalogue title (original)
- verge with classic English dial (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 5865), this is a pocket watch, made in England, dated 1775. The Atlas places it in the Precision & Scientific Horology period (1750 – 1850) of its Pocket Watches collection. 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 exquisite “Verge with Classic English Dial – 1775,” a remarkable testament to the craftsmanship of the late 18th century. This vintage timepiece, originating from London, encapsulates the elegance and precision of its era, featuring a classic English dial that is both timeless and sophisticated. At its heart lies a gilded verge movement, meticulously signed and numbered (19515), which remains in excellent, original condition, ensuring reliable performance. The watch boasts a beautifully engraved and pierced balance cock, a hallmark of its intricate design. The 36 mm white enamel dial is well-preserved, showcasing only minor surface scratches, with its original blued steel beetle and poker hands still intact; however, the minute hand bears a slight imperfection, hinting at its storied past. The inner case, adorned with London hallmarks for 1775 and the maker’s mark of IR, is in admirable condition, exhibiting just a few small dents and a reattached pendant, while the hinge functions seamlessly, allowing the case to close securely. Complementing the inner case, the outer case shares the same hallmarks and remains in good condition, with its original engraving subtly worn, yet the hinge and catch are fully operational. This historic piece, crafted by J. Richards, is a silver pair-cased marvel that not only tells time but also tells a story, making it a cherished addition to any collection. This late 18th-century verge watch features a classic English dial. The movement is signed and numbered (19515) and is in good, original condition, running well. The gilded verge movement has an engraved and pierced balance cock. The white enamel dial, measuring 36 mm, is in good overall condition, with some surface scratches but no chips, hairlines, or repairs. The original 18th-century blued steel beetle and poker hands are present, though the minute hand is a bit short, indicating it may have lost its tip. The inner case bears London hallmarks for 1775 and a maker’s mark of IR. It is also in good condition, with only a few small dents on the back and a reattached pendant. The hinge works well, and the case securely snaps shut. The high dome bull’s eye crystal remains intact. The outer case matches the inner and has the same hallmarks. It is in overall good condition, with no repairs, although the original engraving has worn down. The hinge and catch on the case are fully functional. Creator: J. Richards Place of Origin: London Date of Manufacture: 1775 Silver pair cases Verge movement 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.
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