Gold and Enamel Open Face Dress Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 20th century
This Swiss-made open face dress watch dates to the early 20th century. The watch is encased in 18-karat gold with translucent blue enamel applied over a radial engine-turned guilloche base.
It features a two-piece case construction consisting of a back and a clip-on bezel. The silvered metal dial is equipped with black painted Arabic numerals and blued steel hands. Internally, the watch is powered by a keyless, nickel-plated movement featuring a split three-quarter plate design and a going barrel. The technical specifications include a plain-cock balance bridge, a non-cut bimetallic balance with a hairspring, and a club-foot lever escapement.
The watch is accompanied by a 370 mm flat wire gold chain and is housed in a dedicated octagonal red morocco leather box, which contains the retailer name Licht & Morrison, Davis Street, London, printed on the interior lid.
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
- Box
- Red morocco leather octagonal box
- Type
- Open face dress watch
- Retailer
- Licht & Morrison, London
- Escapement
- Club-foot lever
- Maker Mark
- GM with two crossed hammers inside an oval
- Case Material
- 18-karat gold
- Movement Type
- Keyless, nickel-plated, split three-quarter plate
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Case Decoration
- Translucent blue enamel over engine-turned ground
- Maker / attribution
- GM
Design
- Visible features
- • Translucent blue enamel over engine-turned guilloche • Flat link gold chain measuring 370 mm in length • Blued steel hands over silvered metal dial • Two-piece case construction with clip-on bezel
- Case and Dial Design
- The watch features an open-face construction, with an 18-karat gold case finished in translucent blue enamel over a radially engine-turned guilloche ground. The case consists of two primary parts: a back cover and a clip-on bezel. The dial is composed of silvered metal and is attached via a pressure-fit mechanism. It is decorated with black painted Arabic numerals and fitted with blued steel hands, matching the aesthetic of the case components.
- Movement Construction
- The timepiece is powered by a Swiss-made, keyless-wind movement with nickel plating. The architecture follows a split three-quarter plate layout and includes a going barrel mechanism. Technical regulation is managed by a plain-cock balance bridge supporting a non-cut bimetallic balance and a hairspring.
- Accessories and Retailer Details
- The watch is accompanied by a gold chain featuring flat wire links, measuring 370 mm in total length. The chain is not stamped with hallmarks or maker marks. It is presented in an octagonal box covered in red morocco leather. The interior of the lid features the retailer's mark for Licht & Morrison, located on Davis Street in London, suggesting the watch was retailed in the UK market.
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: Condition of enamel surfaces not verified
- Research required: Functional status and service history not documented