Gaydon & Sons English Silver Open Face Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c. 1892
This Victorian English open face pocket watch dates to circa 1892 and bears hallmarks for Birmingham. Housed in a silver case with stepped sides and an engine-turned back, it measures 50 mm in width and 18 mm in depth.
The white enamel dial presents black Roman numerals, an outer minute ring, blued steel hands, and a subsidiary seconds track at 6 o'clock under a bevelled mineral glass. According to the seller, the timepiece is powered by an English gilt full-plate movement with lever escapement and a gold-finished balance, signed 'Gaydon & Sons, Kingston-on-Thames' under serial number 185177. The watch is stem-wound and stem-set.
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
- Hallmarks
- Birmingham 1892
- Dimensions
- 50mm wide x 18mm deep
- Movement Maker
- Gaydon & Sons, Kingston-on-Thames
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Winding / Setting
- Stem wound / stem set
- Maker / attribution
- Gaydon & Sons
- Case Type and Material
- English silver open face
- Movement Serial Number
- 185177
Design
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial with bold black Roman numerals and peripheral track • Blued steel spade hands with an inset subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o'clock • Silver open face case with smooth bezel, reeded crown, and round bow
- Dial and Visual Presentation
- The pocket watch displays a white enamel dial featuring black Roman hour numerals bordered by an outer track. Time is indicated by blued steel spade hands alongside an inset subsidiary seconds dial positioned at the 6 o'clock location, all fitted beneath a bevelled mineral glass. The dial is housed in an open-face silver configuration equipped with a smooth bezel, a reeded winding crown, and a rounded suspension bow. While the dial condition is reported by the seller as 100% mint condition, visible inspection confirms standard Victorian layout characteristics consistent with late 19th-century English styling.
- Reported Movement and Mechanism
- Operating via stem winding and stem setting, the watch is stated by the seller to contain an English gilt full-plate movement. The mechanism is described as incorporating a lever escapement and a gold-finished balance wheel. The movement plate is reported to carry the signature 'Gaydon & Sons, Kingston-on-Thames' alongside serial number 185177. Because the movement is not depicted in the provided photograph, details regarding plate layout, finishing, and jewelling rely entirely on the dealer's description.
- Case Construction and Hallmarking
- The timepiece measures 50 mm in width by 18 mm in depth. According to the seller's cataloguing, the English silver open-face case features stepped sides, a snap-on bezel, a hinged inner cover, and a hinged back decorated with engine turning. The seller reports clear hallmarks for Birmingham dating the case to 1892. However, these assay marks and the engine-turned back are internal or located to the rear, and are not visible in the primary dial photograph.
Identification
- Reference
- 4.74 (AB-83244)
- Serial number
- 185177
- 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 rear engine-turned case back are described by the dealer but not pictured in this photograph
- Research required: Case hallmarks and movement signatures are internal and not visible from the dial perspective