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Victorian Silver Pocket Watch Assayed in London, 1862 — view 1 of 6
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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

Victorian Silver Pocket Watch Assayed in London, 1862

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
1862
Country of origin
England
Object type
Pocket watch
Materials / technique
silver
Stock no.
Product 2210
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 2210)
Catalogue title (original)
Victorian Silver Pocket Watch Assayed in London (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 2210), this is a pocket watch, made in England, dated 1862. The Atlas places it in the Industrial Revolution period (1850 – 1900) of its Pocket Watches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: silver. 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 Victorian Silver Pocket Watch, assayed in London in 1862, a true testament to the craftsmanship and elegance of the Victorian era. This remarkable timepiece, featuring a hallmark from 1862, boasts a case made by the renowned John William Hammon and a movement meticulously crafted by H Gallewski of Sunderland. The watch face is a work of art, adorned with intricate Roman numerals and beautiful edging that captures the essence of the period’s aesthetic. The chain-driven fusee movement, complete with a separate dust cover and a diamond endstone, not only enhances its functionality but also adds to its intrinsic value. Weighing 151 grams and encased in silver, this round pocket watch with a manual wind movement measures 76.2 mm in height, 12.7 mm in width, and 50.8 mm in diameter. Originating from England and dating back to the 1860s, this piece remains in good condition, making it a fantastic addition to any discerning watch collection and a timeless artifact from a bygone era. This is a stunning Victorian era silver pocket watch, with a hallmark dating back to 1862 and it was assayed in London. The case was made by John William Hammon, while the movement was crafted by H Gallewski of Sunderland. The watch face is exquisitely engraved in the center with intricate Roman numerals and beautiful edging. The chain driven fusee movement has a separate dust cover and a diamond endstone, adding to its value. This pocket watch is a true work of art from a bygone era, and would make for a fantastic addition to any watch collection. Case Material: Silver Weight: 151 g Case Shape: Round Movement: Manual Wind Case Dimensions: Height: 76.2 mm (3 in)Width: 12.7 mm (0.5 in)Diameter: 50.8 mm (2 in) Style: Victorian Place of Origin: England Period: 1860-1869 Date of Manufacture: 1862 Condition: Good

Historical context

Industrial Revolution (1850 – 1900)

American interchangeable-parts manufacture; railroad time standards; Swiss and German factory systems.

Machine production with interchangeable parts, pioneered by Waltham (1850s) and adopted by Elgin, Longines, Omega and others, made reliable lever watches widely affordable. Keyless winding became standard, railroad watch standards were introduced (1890s), and Swiss and American industries competed globally.

Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Precision & Scientific Horology

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 escapementIdentification Centre

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