James Tregent Multi-dialled Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1790
Maker / issuer
James TregentThis multi-dialled pocket watch, catalogued under ID ZAA0755 by Royal Museums Greenwich, is attributed to London clockmaker James Tregent and dated to circa 1790.
According to museum documentation, the movement incorporates a cylinder escapement and is housed within a gilt metal pair case set with red and green paste stones. Intended for the Chinese market, such decorated timepieces were frequently bartered during trade negotiations. The white enamel dial is configured with multiple sub-dials indicating time, days of the week, and dates of the lunar or calendar month, alongside a lower seconds sub-dial and sweep hand.
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
- Calendar pocket watch
- Escapement
- Cylinder escapement
- Measurements
- 115 x 90 x 35 mm
- Maker details
- James Tregent, maker to the Prince of Wales
- Target market
- Chinese market
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Case construction
- Gilt metal pair case set with red and green paste stones
- Maker / attribution
- James Tregent
Design
- Visible features
- • Circular bezel rim mounted with an alternating sequence of circular red and green paste stones • Large white enamel dial bearing an upper Roman numeral time dial • Lower subsidiary dial marked with seconds divisions • Flanking subsidiary dials for days of the week (right) and numbered calendar days (left) • Hinged gilt metal case with decorative top bow and cylindrical pendant stem
- Dial and Visual Features
- The watch features a large white enamel dial. Observations of the piece indicate the inclusion of an upper Roman numeral time dial and a lower subsidiary seconds dial. Two flanking subsidiary dials are present, positioned for the indication of days of the week and numbered calendar days. The case assembly includes a decorative top bow and a cylindrical pendant stem.
- Construction and Materials
- The timepiece incorporates a cylinder escapement. It is housed in a gilt metal pair case that is ornamented with red and green stones set around the bezel. The museum's material metadata lists 'diamond' alongside metal, enamel, and glass, although the descriptive text specifies the use of 'paste stones'.
- Object Details and Provenance
- Catalogued by the Royal Museums Greenwich as ID ZAA0755, this multi-dialled pocket watch is attributed to the London-based watchmaker James Tregent. Documentation indicates that Tregent served as a watchmaker to the Prince of Wales. The object is dated to circa 1790. According to the museum records, the watch was produced for the Chinese market, a context in which such decorative timepieces were used in trade negotiations.
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: Movement and outer reverse of the pair case are not visible in the photograph
- Research required: Materials metadata lists 'diamond' alongside metal and glass, while textual description specifies 'paste stones'