Tobias 18-karat Gold Pair-Cased Rack Lever Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
early 19th century
This early 19th-century English pocket watch by Tobias features a pair-cased design in 18-karat gold with a matching oval-shaped gold pendant and bow. The timepiece utilizes a rack lever escapement mechanism, characterized by adjustable slides for the lever pivots and a Bosley regulator in blued steel.
The movement is a full-plate, gilt, fusee-driven key-wind construction with an engraved balance cock, blued steel endstone setting for the diamond endstone, and a plain polished three-arm steel balance with a blued steel hairspring. The off-white enamel dial displays Roman numerals and includes a 15-second subsidiary seconds dial, where the blued steel seconds hand is mounted directly onto the escape wheel arbor, resulting in four full rotations per minute.
The case exterior bears the manufacturer's mark "TH & Co" and a serial number, 8724, which corresponds to the engraving on the movement plate.
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
- Off-white enamel with Roman numerals
- Type
- Verge & pair-cased watch
- Maker
- Tobias
- Origin
- England
- Material
- 18-karat gold
- Escapement
- Rack lever
- Movement Type
- Gilt fusee full-plate
- Place recorded
- England
- Maker / attribution
- Tobias
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch is housed in a pair-cased configuration crafted from 18-karat gold. The exterior construction includes a matching oval-shaped pendant and a circular hanging bow. The dial is manufactured from off-white enamel and features Roman numerals for the hours. A unique feature is the subsidiary seconds dial, which is graduated to 15 seconds. The blued steel seconds hand is positioned directly on the escape wheel arbor, facilitating four full revolutions every minute. The hour and minute hands are gilded.
- Visible features
- • The balance cock is engraved with the word 'Patent'. • The seconds dial is graduated in 15-second increments. • The movement bears the signature 'M.I. TOBIAS & CO' and the serial number 8724. • The pendant and bow are oval in profile.
- Signatures and Marks
- The watch is signed 'M.I. Tobias & Co' on the movement plate. The serial number 8724 is present on the movement, and the source notes that the case also bears matching serial numbers. Additionally, the case displays the manufacturer's mark 'TH & Co'. These marks serve to identify the piece as an authentic Tobias product from the early 19th century.
- Movement and Escapement
- The movement is a gilt, full-plate, key-wind fusee mechanism. It features an engraved balance cock equipped with a diamond endstone set within a blued steel mount, marked with the word 'Patent'. Regulation is controlled via a Bosley regulator in blued steel. The balance assembly consists of a plain, polished, three-arm steel balance paired with a blued steel hairspring. The escapement is a rack lever type, which represents an early development in independent lever escapements. It incorporates adjustable slides for the lever pivots, designed for precision in the escapement's operation.
Identification
- Serial number
- 8724
- 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 early 19th-century production date is not specified beyond the period attribution.
- Research required: The specific identification of the 'TH & Co' mark is provided by the source without further context.