Watch with complications and minute repeating by Samuel Smith & Son
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1899
This 18 ct gold hunter-cased pocket watch was made in London in 1899 by Samuel Smith & Son. The white enamel dial incorporates blued steel hands, Roman numerals, subsidiary dials for running seconds, day of the week, day of the month, and a perpetual calendar with leap-year indication, along with a split-seconds chronograph and moon phase aperture.
The source reports that the lever escapement movement features a minute repeating mechanism striking on two gongs and is signed 'S. Smith & Son, 9 Strand, London. No 148-3. Makers to the Admiralty & the Indian Government.'
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
- Repeating watch
- Maker
- Samuel Smith and Sons Limited
- Dial signature
- S Smith & Son, 9 Strand London, 148-3
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Movement signature
- S. Smith & Son, 9 Strand, London. No 148-3. Makers to the Admiralty & the Indian Government.
- Date of manufacture
- 1899
- Maker / attribution
- Samuel Smith and Sons Limited
- Case material and hallmarks
- 18 ct gold hunter case hallmarked for 1899
Design
- Visible features
- • Hinged 18 ct yellow gold hunter front cover open to reveal internal hallmarks. • White enamel dial featuring four subsidiary registers and an integrated moon phase aperture at the 6 o'clock position. • Blued steel central hands including split-seconds chronograph sweep hands. • Fluted winding crown with an articulated suspension bow hallmarked near the neck.
- Dial Configuration and Complications
- The white enamel dial features blued steel hands, including split-seconds chronograph sweep hands, paired with four subsidiary registers. Roman numerals indicate the hours on the primary chapter ring, and the dial is signed 'S Smith & Son, 9 Strand London, 148-3'. The subsidiary registers include displays for running seconds, day of the week, day of the month, and a perpetual calendar designed to adjust for variable month lengths including leap years. An aperture positioned within the seconds subsidiary dial indicates the phase of the moon.
- Case Construction and Exterior Markings
- The pocket watch is set within an 18 ct gold hunter case with overall dimensions recorded as 86 mm by 58 mm by 21.5 mm. Visual observations show the hinged yellow gold front cover opened, revealing hallmarks on the inner lid, alongside a fluted winding crown and an articulated suspension bow hallmarked near its neck. According to the museum catalogue, the case is hallmarked for 1899, carries the maker's mark 'S.S' for Samuel Smith and Son, and is punch-marked with the number 148-3.
- Reported Movement and Striking Mechanism
- Movement details are not visible in the provided exterior photograph and rely on museum cataloguing. The internal mechanism features a lever escapement, split-seconds chronograph work, and a minute repeating mechanism striking on two distinct pitched gongs. The collection record notes that the repeating mechanism is actuated via a slide button on the side of the case to sound the nearest minute. The movement is signed 'S. Smith & Son, 9 Strand, London. No 148-3. Makers to the Admiralty & the Indian Government.'
Identification
- Object Number
- L2015-3563
- Serial number
- 148-3
- 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: Internal movement condition, escapement details, and movement signatures are not visible in the supplied photograph and rely entirely on museum cataloguing.
- Research required: Punch marks and internal case signatures are partially obscured by reflection.