Wempe 14K Gold Dress Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1920s
This open-face dress pocket watch is signed by Wempe and dated by the auction house to the 1920s. The yellow-gold case measures approximately 49 mm in diameter, weighs approximately 64 grams, and is described by the cataloguer as 14-karat gold with a triple-reeded profile.
Its silvered Art Deco dial features a vertically striped central sector, gilt Art Deco numerals, an outer 13–24 hour chapter, ornate openwork gilt hands, and a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o'clock. The auction house reports that it contains a flat precision movement fitted with a fine adjusting device, and that it was accompanied by a signed original box.
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
- Open-face watch
- Total Weight
- ca. 64 g
- Case Diameter
- Ca. Ø 49 mm
- Case Material
- 14 K gold
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Dial Description
- very beautiful Art Deco dial with stripe decoration, silvered, signed
- Maker / attribution
- Wempe
- Movement Description
- flat precision movement with fine adjusting device
Design
- Visible features
- • Open-face pocket watch dial signed 'WEMPE' beneath a winged emblem below 12 o'clock. • Stylized gilt Art Deco Arabic hour numerals with an outer 13–24 secondary hour track and minute dot markers. • Engine-turned or vertically striped texturing across the central medallion of the silvered dial. • Subsidiary seconds register positioned above 6 o'clock with a circular chapter ring. • Fluted or reeded bezel rim surrounding the crystal, paired with a shaped pendant bow at 12 o'clock.
- Dial and Visual Design
- Visible observation of the watch shows a silvered dial with an Art Deco aesthetic, featuring a vertically striped or engine-turned pattern across its central medallion. The dial displays stylized gilt Art Deco Arabic hour numerals, paired with an outer 13–24 secondary hour track and minute dot markers. It is signed 'WEMPE' beneath a winged emblem below the 12 o'clock position, and includes a subsidiary seconds register positioned above 6 o'clock. The cataloguer describes the hands as 'gilt Art Deco hands'. Framing the dial is a fluted or reeded bezel rim, and a shaped pendant bow is visible at the top of the case.
- Reported Movement and Accessories
- The auction catalog reports that the watch contains a 'flat precision movement with fine adjusting device', which was noted by the seller as 'in very good condition and in working order.' Because no movement photography is available, the internal caliber, maker, jewel count, and mechanical condition cannot be independently verified from the record. The listing also notes the inclusion of a 'signed original box'. This accessory is not depicted in the auction photograph, leaving its specific maker markings, materials, and physical state unverified.
- Case Construction and Physical Dimensions
- According to the auction house listing, the watch features an 'elegant case, triple reeded' constructed from 14 K gold, measuring approximately 49 mm in diameter and weighing approximately 64 grams. Visual inspection of the front shows a reeded or fluted bezel profile consistent with this description. The auction title dates the piece to 'from the 20s'. However, no internal assay marks, casemaker stamps, or case back engravings are visible in the provided photograph, and none are recorded in the listing text.
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: Internal movement is not visible in the provided image; movement details rely entirely on auction house claims.
- Research required: The signed original box reported by the auction house is not shown in the lot photograph.