J.W. Benson 18k gold keyless half hunter pocket watch, 1879
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
London Hallmark for 1879
This J.W. Benson pocket watch is a keyless wind, half hunter timepiece constructed from 18k gold, featuring a London hallmark dating to 1879. The watch measures 49mm in diameter and is housed in a polished, hinged case, with the front cover displaying a blue Roman numeral chapter ring.
The white dial is signed J.W. Benson London and features black Roman numeral hour markers, a black outer minute track, and a subsidiary seconds dial at the 6 o'clock position. The movement is a gilt 3/4 plate Swiss lever mechanism, No. 5131, which includes a cut and compensated bi-metallic balance. The watch is equipped with blued steel double spade hands. Both the dial and movement bear the signature of J.W. Benson, while the case is stamped W.J.W and numbered 5131.
The design represents the classic aesthetics of a late 19th-century English-market half hunter pocket watch.
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.
Physical characteristics
- Size
- 49mm
- Material
- 18k gold
Technical characteristics
- Features
- keyless wind, cut and compensated bi-metallic balance, subsidiary dial at 6
- Movement
- gilt 3/4 plate Swiss lever
Design
- Case
- polished hinged, blue Roman numeral chapter to front
- Dial
- white, black Roman numerals, black outer minute track
- Hands
- blued steel double spade
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- J.W. Benson
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.