I am trying to get a bit deeper into British watchmaking when the Worshipful Guild of Clockmakers was in full power, say before 1850 or so.
I have this watch, and, insted of putting silly questions, I would like to have your thoughts & comments to start the ball rolling. Would you kindly help me?
Thanks and regards
Mario

Some typical good quality engraving on the cock and barrel bridge
Yet very crude on the plate with Advance / Retard
gradient. A snail? and a Leopard? looks very crude in comparison

imho

Hi Ken. Right, snail & leopard. The movement is still very sound (I have moved it to look at details, and I gave 1 and half rows of chain, and ticks quite loudly on my desk since a couple of hours). The hallmarking on the consular case is 1814, London (all ok, the right leopard heard, and lion) I can't foind out the silversmith [WM with a kind of star above]. The diamond endstone is rather large, say 1.5mm across, with some diamondlike facets (see below),Would you kindly elaborate further ?
Thanks & regards
Mario

Hi
I can't make out what the engraving Name etc says ?
can you post a picture side on showing the pillars
and also a picture of the dial ?

http://www.clockmakers.org/
was lucky enough to visit the museum at the guildhall a couple of years ago, a completely mesmerising experience. The watches they have on display are stunning.
A visit to Greenwich is also an unforgettable experience Harrison was a genius.

Here it's Ken

and the dial

the writing is 'Geo Rootsey' 'London' 'N.506' I couldn't find out anything about mr. Rootsey
Reagrds
Mario

Hi
Looks a nice Fusee Verge escapement with round pillars std type for the period
is there anything under the dial ?

Hi
on second look
the Balance cock on early Verge watches were normally shaped to the balance and pierced/engraved

This one has what looks like a late shaped fusee balance cock ??
I have a similar verge with diamond endstone I'll dig it out and post a picture tomorrow just for comparison

Have a look on this site for silversmiths marks

http://www.silvercollection.it...rmarks3WQUATTRO.html

A good London verge watch, standard in most ways but with a diamond end stone on the balance cock. There were many such watches produced in England by many makers. Watchmaking was a big trade there and the only way one could become a watchmaker was to serve a long apprenticeship ...and only if you were a guy!

William

Right, William, but a lady could lawfully engrave her name on a movement ? I have seen some in the second half of XIXth century. From this I infer that the name on a movement could either be the name of the watchmaker, or of the seller (a jeweller, mainly). Now the chapter of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers says that any imported watch should be marked as such. I guess they imported true ebauches,99 % ready but not working, had them finished by a freeman (thus giving birth to the watch ...) and then sold to jeweller. A bit complicate but a quick way to make profits