Swiss Double Face World Time Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1890
This Swiss-made pocket watch, attributed to circa 1890, was produced for Henry Lewis & Co., 172 New Bond Street, London. It is an 18K gold, keyless, double-face world time watch featuring triple calendar functions and astronomical complications.
The timepiece measures 55 mm in diameter. The front features a white enamel dial with Roman numerals, subsidiary dials for the day, date, and month, an inner subsidiary seconds dial, and a moon phase aperture with an age-of-the-moon border. The reverse of the watch displays a white enamel dial with seven subsidiary dials indicating time for New York, London, St. Petersburg, Calcutta, Melbourne, Vienna, and Berlin. The movement is rhodium-plated, features 'fausses cotes' decoration, and utilizes a straight-line lever escapement with a cut bimetallic balance and Breguet balance spring.
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 1890
- Type
- Calendar & astronomical watch
- Maker
- Swiss, made for Henry Lewis & Co.
- Balance
- Cut bimetallic
- Diameter
- 55 mm
- Material
- 18K Gold
- Functions
- World time, triple calendar, moon phase
- Escapement
- Straight-line lever
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Maker / attribution
- Swiss, made for Henry Lewis & Co.
- Movement decoration
- Fausses cotes
Design
- Visible features
- • The dial bears the inscription 'THE ROYAL ASTRONOMER' and 'CALCUTTA TIME'. • The case is described as a three-piece 'bassine' style. • The watch features blued-steel 'spade' hands. • The watch has a glazed back revealing the movement.
- Case and Exterior
- The watch is housed in a three-piece 'bassine' gold case, which is finished with a polished surface. The construction includes a glazed back, allowing the movement to be viewed while the watch is closed. The watch is keyless in operation, featuring a winding crown at the top. The dial on the front is white enamel. It incorporates Roman numerals for the hours and contains three subsidiary dials for displaying the days of the week, the dates, and the months. Additionally, an inner subsidiary dial is provided for the seconds, and there is a moon phase aperture with the age of the moon marked along its border.
- Movement and World Time
- The movement is a 17-jewel caliber, rhodium-plated with 'fausses cotes' decoration. It is equipped with a straight-line lever escapement, a cut bimetallic balance, and a Breguet balance spring. The reverse of the watch features a second white enamel dial specifically designed for world time. This dial is configured with seven small subsidiary dials, each indicating the time for a specific city: New York, London, St. Petersburg, Calcutta, Melbourne, Vienna, and Berlin. The watch utilizes blued-steel 'spade' hands for the display of information on both sides.
- Signatures and Attribution
- The object is attributed to Swiss manufacture and was produced for Henry Lewis & Co., located at 172 New Bond Street, London. The source provides a grading system assessment for the components of the watch, noting the case as 4-12, the movement as 4-5, and the dial as 3-04, classifying the overall lot as AAA Excellent.
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: The movement number is listed as '19???' in the source description.
- Research required: The exact nature of the 'unsigned' status of the maker beyond the retail name is not explicitly clarified.