English 9k Gold Open Face Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1870
This antique English open-face pocket watch, estimated to date from circa 1870, is constructed with a 9-karat gold case measuring 31 millimeters in diameter. It is designed in a compact 0-size format.
The dial features a gold background adorned with intricate relief patterns of flowers and foliage, complemented by black spade-style hands and black roman numerals set against a circular track. The outer edge of the dial is marked with gold dots for minute indication. The exterior back cover is decorated with extensive floral and acanthus-style engravings, featuring a central vacant shield intended for personal inscriptions or crests.
Internally, the watch is powered by a gilded mechanical cylinder movement. Time setting is achieved via a pin-set mechanism. The timepiece is reported to be in good running order.
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
- Date
- Circa 1870
- Type
- Open-face pocket watch
- Origin
- England
- Case type
- Open-face
- Case diameter
- 31 mm
- Case material
- 9-karat gold
- Movement type
- Gilded cylinder movement
- Place recorded
- England
- Setting mechanism
- Pin-set
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch is housed in an open-face 9-karat gold case measuring 31 millimeters in diameter. The rear cover displays detailed floral and acanthus leaf engraving, surrounding a plain central cartouche designed for personalization. The dial is finished in gold and features a central decorative relief of floral and foliage motifs. Hours are marked with black Roman numerals, while the perimeter includes a circular track accented with gold dots for minute tracking. Time is indicated by black spade-style hands.
- Visible features
- • Case features extensive scroll and floral engraving on the rear cover • Dial includes a central guilloche-style engraved floral pattern • The movement is a bridge-style gilded cylinder caliber
- Movement and Mechanism
- The timepiece is powered by a mechanical cylinder movement, a common configuration for slim pocket watches produced in the latter half of the 19th century. The movement components are finished in a gilded layer. The watch utilizes a pin-set system for adjusting the time, which is located on the case exterior. The auction description reports that the watch is currently in a running state, though no information regarding the history of past maintenance or repair is available.
- Provenance and Condition
- The watch is attributed to English manufacture circa 1870. The current presentation of the object shows the decorative exterior and internal mechanism in preserved condition. All details regarding the watch's origins, technical operation, and performance status are based upon information provided by the seller and associated catalogue sources. No independent verification of these claims has been conducted.
Identification
- 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: Full repair or service history is not documented
- Research required: Specific maker identity is not provided in the source