The dial is very colorful, yellow, rose, and green gold flowers and leaves. The case is decorated all over including the bow and what would be the crown in a pendant winding watch. In some circumstances, depending on the lighting, there appears to be a blue tint to some of the decoration.

John, WOW! Fabulous watch, I just love that dial! hope you got the watch well insured!!!!!

Robert Roskell, Liverpool & London 1798 - 1830, Chronometer maker!
A very fine watchmaker, and his examples command good prices. Used 'Litherlands' rack lever escapement according to Baillie's, so take a good look at that escapement!

If it is Gold, not sure about the lack of hallamarks, but then could just mean the case never got to the assay office for stamping!
I'd be very reluctant to run a test on it that's for sure!

I'm going to stick my neck right out here and suggest that your watch was almost certainly hand made 'in house' - at least the cocks on all the train wheels plus the dial plate even if the train wheels were bought in!
Very few watchmakers ever made a complete watch in those days, took too long and they had to make a living and pay wages.

It doesn't look like any mass produced ebauche I've ever seen for the period at all, and Roskell was certainly of the ilk to be capable of that sort of quality!
Some thought gone into that movement design too, just look at how neatly those the cocks step down in a decreasing (almost tangential) arc from the barrel bridge to the escape wheel!
That's a class act in its sheer design simplicity considering its age.

Many makers went in for lots of flourishes via engravings on their movements, but Roskell obviously didn't want to marr his work with unnecessary embellishments, now that's confidence!!

That movement was also built to last ...... but then the maker was an English craftsman!
Only kidding

Many thanks for posting it.

John.

I believe that John's "Rob't Roskell" watch is Swiss. Just as the Tobias name was used to sell Swiss watches that had nothing to do with the Tobias family, I suspect that Roskell, a prolific maker of good quality watches, was also a victim of "identity theft"*. Here, - in this other thread - are some other examples of similar Swiss movements.

[*although I am pretty certain that this is not an English watch, I am not as certain that Roskell did not import this watch under his name]

John,
That is one gorgeous watch, and the dial is one of my favorites. WOW!

Guys,
Even though I may have to look up half of what you talk about, before I know what you were saying, this is one real hunk of information you guys have posted here, so thank you so much for all the great writing. It is appreciated.

Darn I wish I could keep those parts straight.

I am of the opinion that the movement could have been imported by Roskell and finished up in his shop. Perhaps the complete watch was imported. The extension of the lever (counter poise?) is not curved; it is straight and flares out from the pivot. The escape wheel has long pointed teeth.

I would love to see a clearer picture of the escapement. The pointed teeth do sound more English than continental.

Here's a view of the escapement. The steel parts have a mirror polish. The best way I can describe the lever is that it has a fish-tail shaped end.

quote:

Here's a view of the escapement. The steel parts have a mirror polish. The best way I can describe the lever is that it has a fish-tail shaped end.

John your watch looks more like a French "Lepine" style ebauche caliber to me. Note French ebauches have tapered and step shaped bridges. Just like your watch. Swiss bar or (Le Coultre) have flat straight bridges.
Cooksey

Cough .... cough .... phtwa .... pthyuh ....... sorry about that folks, just getting all the egg off my face after all my ravings about Roskell's design capabilities

Have to admit, it certainly looks like a Swiss ebauche when compared to the photo's in the thread Jerry pointed us too, but must confess, never seen one like that before!

I still like that design though, nice and clean and, looks amazingly as if modelled on the motionwork of a clock with it's cocks and particularly, the way they step down in a fashion similar to a strike snail, bugged me all night wondering what the layout reminded me of!

Most watchmakers did import many if not most parts of a watch to finish in house, as there were far to many components to make themselves, and that included the plates and bridges etc. This one doesn't look much like the 'run of the mill' cast variety normally used though, more machine milled or turned, then hand finished.

The escapement is certainly appears to be English lever and not Swiss, so if Roskell did import a movement, he modded it to his own flavour.

John, you need to take a close look at the bottom of the balance, see if it's the usual roller table or a rack arrangement - as it seems it's the rack that Roskell was noted for using according to my books.
Note the deep clearance well around the escape wheel where the lever arrangement is!

Another thought I had re- the case, if it is solid gold with no hallmarks, it may possibly have been made for exhibition use or a private commission. If it was for general retailing, it would have been a legal requirement to hallmark it whether imported or not (unless smuggled)!.
I would have expected at least a casemaker's stamp even if only plated.

Looks like I've just had a very valuable lesson on Swiss/English watchmaking though, Many thanks for that!

BTW John, looks like the hairspring may have escaped from the curb pins.

John

The style and finish of the escapement are certainly different from what I have seen on similar Swiss movements. The possibility that Roskell's shop finished a Swiss ebauche is looking more likely. If it has other features of an English style escapement that would be even more convincing (such as a Massey lever). I suspect that the "fish tail" end not only counterpoises the fork but may also provide banking.

In one of my books showing English watches there is a photo of another Roskell watch with a very similar dial and case. The hands on John's watch are nearly identical to those on an English Tobias of mine and another indication of English finish.

"I suspect that the "fish tail" end not only counterpoises the fork but may also provide banking"
The 'fish tail' is sunk into a depression in the plate and it is just wide enough for the lever to swing back and forth, if it swings too far it bumps against the edge of the depression. I think it's not a rack lever, since the cuvette is marked "detached lever:.

Here is a photo of a Rob't Roskell English full-plate fusee with lever escapement from 1824. Very much like John's in external appearance!
[the picture is scanned from Colour Plate 8 in "The Camerer Cuss Book of Antique Watches" by T.P. Camerer Cuss]

Those dials are to die for!

I only have a few of them, (on Fusee's) and Boy are they Gorgeous, no matter what country they come from.

I do have to admit that the movements are really different, and sure look nice. Thanks for the photos.