Charles Frodsham 18K gold lever chronometer pocket watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1873
Maker / issuer
Charles FrodshamThis open-face pocket watch lever chronometer is attributed to Charles Frodsham of England and dated by the auction source to circa 1873. The white enamel dial features black Roman hour numerals, blued steel hands, an up-and-down power reserve subdial below 12 o'clock, and subsidiary seconds above 6 o'clock.
The 18K gold case measures 55 mm in diameter and, according to the source, features the engraved coat of arms and motto of the Shuttleworth family alongside maker punch marks for Robert Rowlands and Charles Frodsham. The source reports a 2/3 plate chain-and-fusee movement with an English lever escapement.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Lever chronometer pocket watch
- Origin
- England
- Diameter
- 55 mm
- Escapement
- English lever escapement
- Case Material
- 18 K gold
- Place recorded
- England
- Movement Number
- 03964
- Maker / attribution
- Charles Frodsham
- Movement Construction
- 2/3 plate movement, chain/fusee
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial with black Roman numerals and outer minute track. • Power reserve indicator subdial positioned below 12 o'clock marked 'UP' and 'WIND'. • Subsidiary seconds dial located at 6 o'clock. • Blued steel spade/pear-style hands. • Dial signed 'CHARLES FRODSHAM' and '03964' with 'AD.Fmsz' cipher beneath 12 o'clock. • Fluted winding crown with round suspension bow bearing punch or hallmark marks.
- Dial and Visual Features
- The watch features a white enamel dial with black Roman numerals and an outer minute track. The display includes a power reserve indicator positioned below the 12 o'clock marker, marked 'UP' and 'WIND', and a subsidiary seconds dial located at 6 o'clock. The dial is signed 'CHARLES FRODSHAM' and bears the number '03964', with the 'AD.Fmsz' cipher located beneath the 12 o'clock position. The auction source reports the dial condition as 'very good'.
- Attribution and Background
- The object is attributed to Charles Frodsham and dated by the auction source to circa 1873. The 'AD.Fmsz' cipher is interpreted by the source as a reference to the year 1850, when Charles Frodsham acquired the J.R. Arnold estate. The Latin motto 'Isto velocior vita' and its association with the entrepreneur Joseph Shuttleworth are provided by the source, which frames these as symbols of his mechanical innovations in 19th-century agricultural machinery.
- Movement and Case Specifications
- The watch is housed in an 18K gold case with a diameter of 55 mm. The case back features an engraved coat of arms, monogram, and the Latin motto 'Isto Velocior Vita', identified by the source as belonging to the Shuttleworth family. The case also bears punch marks for Robert Rowlands ('RR') and Charles Frodsham ('CF'). The movement is a 2/3 plate, chain-and-fusee caliber with an English lever escapement. It features a large gold screw compensation balance, is free-sprung, and uses a blued balance spring. The source reports the condition as 'very good' and 'capable of running', with a cleaning recommended.
Identification
- Serial number
- 03964
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Movement and case back engraving are not visible in the provided photograph; mechanism details, hallmarks, and provenance inscriptions are source-reported.
- Research required: Operational condition and cleaning recommendation are based solely on the catalog condition report.