Gregson Gold, Enamel and Pearl Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 18th century
This late 18th-century pocket watch is attributed to the Parisian watchmaker Gregson, known as Horloger du Roy. Housed in an 18-karat gold consular case, the watch features a back decorated with deep blue translucent enamel over an engine-turned surface.
The bezels are set with a border of half-pearls. The white convex enamel dial displays black Arabic numerals and gold beetle and poker-style hands. The watch is wound directly through the dial. The movement is a full-plate gilt fusee type, though the original escapement has been converted to a cylinder escapement, featuring a large steel escape wheel. Mechanical components include a three-armed balance with a blued steel hairspring, a pierced and hand-engraved balance cock, and a silver regulator index.
The watch lacks accompanying documentation or a box, and no assessment of current mechanical function is provided in the source record.
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
- Dial
- White enamel
- Type
- Pocket watch
- Maker
- Gregson
- Escapement
- Cylinder
- Case Material
- 18-karat gold
- Serial Number
- 3019
- Place recorded
- France
- Winding Method
- Through dial
- Maker / attribution
- Gregson
Design
- Visible features
- • The bow features a press-button mechanism for opening the glass bezel. • The enamel back displays a radial engine-turned pattern visible through the blue glaze. • Dial numerals include 5-minute intervals marked as 15, 30, 45, and 60. • The watch is wound via a square-arbor hole located on the dial between the center and the numeral 3.
- Case and Dial Design
- The watch is housed in an 18-karat gold consular-style case. The exterior of the case back is finished with translucent dark blue enamel applied over an engine-turned, geometrically patterned ground. The perimeter of the watch, including the bezels, is adorned with a full row of half-pearls. The dial is made of convex white enamel featuring black Arabic numerals and gold hands designed in the beetle and poker style. A winding aperture is positioned on the dial for accessing the movement. The front glass bezel is hinged and operated via a push-button mechanism integrated into the gold pendant.
- Movement and Mechanism
- The movement is constructed as a full-plate gilt fusee mechanism. According to the provided information, the original escapement was modified to a cylinder escapement, which incorporates a large steel escape wheel. The balance assembly consists of a simple three-armed balance paired with a blued steel hairspring. Additional components include a hand-pierced and engraved balance cock and a silver regulator index used for adjusting the watch's rate. The construction reflects the techniques used in late 18th-century European watchmaking.
- Authentication and Documentation
- The movement is engraved with the maker's signature identifying him as Gregson, the Horloger du Roy in Paris, alongside the serial number 3019. The watch is dated to the late 18th century. The source report indicates that the item does not come with original boxes or papers. Prospective owners are encouraged to examine the condition of the enamel, the integrity of the cylinder escapement conversion, and the status of the fusee chain.
Identification
- Reference
- 3019
- Serial number
- 3019
- 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 notes the escapement was converted to a cylinder type at an unknown date.
- Research required: The current mechanical operating condition of the fusee chain and movement is unverified.