Charles Frodsham Minute Repeating Split-Seconds Chronograph Tourbillon Pocket Watch

Technical characteristics

Type

Open-faced tourbillon split-seconds chronograph minute repeating pocket watch

Diameter

63mm

Case Number

08'867

Case Material

18K yellow gold

Casemaker Mark

HMF (Harrison Mill Frodsham)

Place recorded

United Kingdom

Movement Number

08'867

Maker / attribution

Charles Frodsham

Kew Observatory Trial

Highest A certificate with 78.4 marks in 1902

Design

Visible features

• White enamel dial with Roman numerals and outer minute/chronograph track • Dual subsidiary dials positioned horizontally at 9 and 3 o'clock • Yellow gold bow and fluted winding crown at the 12 o'clock position • Repeater slide on the case flank and split-seconds pusher on the upper left rim

Dial and Case Construction

The timepiece is an open-faced keyless pocket watch measuring 63mm in diameter, constructed in an 18K yellow gold case. Visible frontal elements show a white enamel dial with black Roman numerals and an outer minute and chronograph track. Dual subsidiary dials are situated horizontally at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions. Operating elements visible on the perimeter include a yellow gold bow and fluted winding crown positioned at 12 o'clock, a repeater slide along the case flank, and a split-seconds chronograph pusher located on the upper left rim. According to the auction catalogue, the inner caseback is stamped with London Assay Office hallmarks, including the Leopard's head, the crown for 18-carat gold, the date letter "f" for 1901, and the casemaker's mark "HMF" for Harrison Mill Frodsham.

Reported Movement and Complications

The interior mechanism is not visible in the cataloguing photograph, but source documentation describes it as a jewelled, manual-wind 23-ligne gilt three-quarter plate calibre. The complication set encompasses a one-minute tourbillon, minute repeater, and a split-seconds chronograph with a 60-minute counter. The movement is recorded under serial number 08'867, matching the case number. The catalogue notes that the movement is signed and engraved with the historical address "115 New Bond Street, Late of 84 Strand", alongside the firm's characteristic cryptogram "AD Fmsz" representing the year 1850.

Observatory Trial History and Documentation

In 1902, the pocket watch underwent precision timing trials at the Kew Observatory in Richmond, Surrey. Tested across multiple positions and temperatures, the timepiece attained a Class A certificate with a score of 78.4 marks. This evaluation placed the watch 8th out of 13 entries in the observatory's "Complicated watches" category. The auction essay further notes that only 12 Charles Frodsham tourbillon pocket watches of this type have resurfaced on the market.

Identification

Serial number

08'867

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.