Mudge & Dutton quarter-repeating gold and agate pocket watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1780
This late eighteenth-century pocket watch is signed by the makers Mudge & Dutton and is presented in a pair case configuration. The timepiece features a full-plate movement with fire-gilt finish, fusee and chain transmission, a three-arm steel balance, a polished steel cylinder escapement, and a blued balance spring.
The quarter-repeater mechanism is activated by pressing the pendant, which strikes a bell housed within the case. The watch is encased in 22-karat gold, with the inner case pierced to facilitate sound resonance and decorated with engraved floral motifs and dragons. The outer case features an ornate decorative program incorporating hexagonal gray agate panels, six oval banded agate sections, clear stone accents, and borders of blue sapphires around both the front and back bezels.
The white enamel dial displays Roman and Arabic numerals, paired with beetle and poker style golden hands.
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
- circa 1780
- Type
- Quarter repeating pocket watch
- Maker
- Mudge & Dutton
- Complexity
- Quarter-repeater
- Escapement
- Cylinder
- Case material
- 22-karat gold
- Movement type
- Full-plate with fire-gilt finish
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Maker / attribution
- Mudge & Dutton
- Outer case materials
- Gray agate, banded agate, sapphires, and clear stones
Design
- Dial and Hands
- The watch features a white enamel dial, providing a clear background for the time display. The layout includes Roman numerals for the hours and Arabic numerals for the five-minute intervals. To indicate the time, the dial is fitted with golden hands executed in the beetle and poker style, a common eighteenth-century configuration for high-quality timepieces.
- Visible features
- • Outer case decorated with hexagonal gray agate panels • Dial features both Roman and Arabic hour markers • Beetle and poker style hands in gold • Outer case borders inset with blue sapphires
- Case and Decoration
- The watch is housed within an elaborate pair case construction composed of 22-karat gold. The inner case is functional, featuring piercings around the sides that allow the sound of the internal bell to emerge clearly. Its surfaces are detailed with hand-engraved depictions of floral motifs and what are identified as fire dragons. The outer case presents a high degree of decorative embellishment. It is centered by hexagonal gray agate panels and incorporates six oval-cut banded agates. The entire structure is outlined with borders of blue sapphires applied to both the front and rear bezels, complemented by additional clear stone settings.
- Movement and Mechanism
- The movement is constructed as a full-plate caliber finished with fire-gilding. It utilizes a traditional fusee and chain drive system to regulate the power delivery to the gear train. The timing is controlled by a three-arm steel balance oscillating in conjunction with a blued balance spring. The timepiece employs a polished steel cylinder escapement. The repeating function is designed as a quarter-repeater, which generates an audible signal by striking a bell positioned internally. This mechanism is actuated by the user by depressing the pendant.
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: Exact date and origin are estimated as circa 1780
- Research required: Specific metallurgical composition of the clear stone accents is not identified