Thomas Eldon & Co 18k gold key-wind full hunter pocket watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Circa 1850
This 18k gold key-wind full hunter pocket watch, produced by Thomas Eldon & Co of London, dates to approximately 1850. The timepiece features a polished consular case with a diameter of 53mm, and is marked with numbers 2469 and 61082.
The back of the case bears a presentation engraving stating: 'Presented to William Hughes by the friends of S.Palmer for saving his life 16th Sep 1853'. The movement is a gilt full plate English lever design, featuring a cut and compensated bi-metallic balance and a diamond end stone. The white dial displays black Roman numeral hour markers, a black outer minute track, and a subsidiary seconds dial positioned at 6 o'clock, complemented by gilt spade-style hands.
The watch is signed on both the dial and the movement and is accompanied by its original winding key. It serves as a notable example of mid-19th-century English watchmaking, reflecting both functional technical design and commemorative social history through its bespoke presentation inscription.
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
- Diameter
- 53mm
- Material
- 18k gold
Technical characteristics
- Jewel
- Diamond end stone
- Balance
- Cut and compensated bi-metallic
- Winding
- Key wind
- Movement
- Gilt full plate English lever
Design
- Dial
- White with black Roman numerals
- Case style
- Full hunter, polished consular
- Inscriptions
- Presented to William Hughes by the friends of S.Palmer for saving his life 16th Sep 1853
- Complications
- Subsidiary seconds
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
- Thomas Eldon & Co
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.