Large Silver English Pocket Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1803
This English pocket chronometer, dating to 1803, is housed in a large, plain silver consular case. The timepiece features a white enamel dial with Roman numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial, and blued steel Breguet-style hands.
The mechanical movement is key-wound with a full gilt plate, featuring a fusee and chain mechanism. Technical specifications include a Harrison's maintaining power, a pierced barrel bridge, and a bimetallic 'Z' type compensation balance with screw-weights. The escapement is an Earnshaw-type spring detent mechanism with jeweled locking pallets and gold settings. The balance cock is fitted with a diamond endstone, and the movement utilizes a freesprung blued steel balance spring.
The watch is signed 'Reid London' on the dial and movement, with the case maker's mark 'DW' and London hallmarks, marking it as an example of early 19th-century portable precision timekeeping.
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
- 1803
- Type
- Chronometer
- Hands
- Blued steel Breguet-style
- Maker
- Reid
- Balance
- Bimetallic 'Z' type
- Case Mark
- DW
- Escapement
- Earnshaw-type spring detent
- Place recorded
- England
- Maintaining Power
- Harrison's
- Maker / attribution
- Reid (with '91' on dial)
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch is presented in a large, plain silver consular case, which conforms to standard English case styles of the period. The exterior is simple in design, featuring a substantial silver oval bow and pendant attachment, which serves as the mounting for the watch. The dial is composed of white enamel, which remains a standard choice for high-precision timepieces of this era to ensure legibility. It features black Roman numerals and a subsidiary seconds dial positioned at the bottom of the dial face. The time is indicated by blued steel hands executed in a Breguet style, while the seconds hand axle is constructed from gold.
- Visible features
- • Case features a large, plain consular design with a silver oval bow and pendant. • Dial displays Roman numeral hour markers and a subsidiary seconds sub-dial at the bottom. • Balance assembly includes a diamond endstone atop the balance cock.
- Signatures and Marks
- The watch bears clear indicators of its origin and identity, including a specific maker's mark 'DW' struck on the silver case. The case also features London hallmarks, identifying the city where the watch was assessed and marked in 1803. The movement plate is engraved with the signature 'W Reid London' along with the serial number '1891', which is also present on the watch dial. These inscriptions link the component parts to the specified maker and provide the necessary chronological data for the instrument.
- Movement and Escapement
- The movement is a full-plate construction finished with gilding. It incorporates a traditional fusee and chain mechanism, which provides constant force to the gear train. The movement includes a Harrison-style maintaining power system, allowing the watch to continue running while being wound. Precision is regulated by an Earnshaw-type spring detent escapement, which features gold locking pallets with screwed settings. The balance assembly utilizes a bimetallic 'Z'-type compensation balance with adjustable screw-weights. The balance staff is supported by a diamond endstone located on the balance cock, and the system is equipped with a freesprung blued steel balance spring to eliminate the need for a regulator.
Identification
- Serial number
- 1891
- 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 exact provenance of the piece beyond its date and London hallmarks is not stated.
- Research required: The specific identification of the 'DW' maker mark on the case is provided by the source but is not fully detailed as to which specific silversmith it belongs to.