Enamelled Silver Gilt Chinese Market Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
mid-19th century
This mid-19th century open-face pocket watch was manufactured for the Chinese market and features a silver-gilt case heavily ornamented with split pearls and blue champlevé enamel.
The reverse of the case displays a polychrome enamel portrait of a young woman against a blue ground. The watch employs a key-wound, bar-style movement with gilded bridges, which are intricate and engraved. It incorporates a suspended going barrel, blue steel screws and stop-work, and a duplex escapement with a five-arm polished steel balance wheel. A garnet endstone is set into the balance cock. Timekeeping is indicated on a white enamel dial with Roman numerals and a central seconds hand, with winding and setting performed via a gilt cuvette.
The overall condition is described by the source as excellent, though specific dimensions and service history are omitted.
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
- Open-face pocket watch
- Condition
- Excellent
- Dial type
- White enamel
- Escapement
- Duplex
- Case material
- Silver gilt
- Maker / attribution
- Richardson, London
Design
- Case and Dial
- The pocket watch features an open-face design constructed from silver gilt. The visual presentation of the case is defined by extensive decoration; the bezel, bow, and pendant are inset with split pearls, while the border is accented with blue champlevé enamel. The reverse of the case displays a polychrome enamel portrait of a young woman, set against a solid blue backdrop. The dial is composed of white enamel, featuring slim Roman numeral indices. It is equipped with gilt hands and a central seconds hand, intended for center-sweep timing. Winding and time-setting operations are accessed via the gilt cuvette, which requires the use of a key.
- Visible features
- • The movement is signed 'Richardson, London 1571' • The dial features a central seconds hand and Roman numerals • The case bezel and bow are set with split pearls • The reverse shows a polychrome enamel portrait
- Movement and Escapement
- The watch is powered by a key-wound, bar-movement caliber. The bridges are gilded and decorated with detailed, relief-style engravings, consistent with horological production for the 19th-century Chinese market. Mechanical features include a suspended going barrel and components such as the screws and stop-work lever fabricated from blue steel. Technical regulation is provided by a five-arm polished steel balance wheel. The escapement is of the duplex type, featuring brass wheels and jeweled pivots. The balance cock is engraved and fitted with a garnet endstone, while the regulator lever is constructed from polished steel.
- Signature and Attribution
- The watch bears the signature of 'Richardson, London' on the movement, accompanied by the number 1571. The object is attributed by the source to the mid-19th century and is described as having been specifically produced for the Chinese market, a sector of watchmaking known for its ornate finish and mechanical complexity. The source provides a record of the object's attribution based on the Pieces of Time catalogue entry. While the general provenance relates to the Chinese market, the source does not list a specific chain of ownership or historical documentation beyond the auction record.
Identification
- Serial number
- 1571
- 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: The source does not provide specific dimensions
- Research required: Service history is not documented in the source