English 18 Carat gold pair cased pocket chronometer Circa 1805

Very rare pocket chronometer
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A very rare pocket chronometer made by James Hatton in London, England, circa 1805. The pair cased open faced case of the watch was crafted from 18 Carat gold has an unusual design, pink gold on the outside, yellow gold on the inside, is engine turned on the back and has matching London Hallmarks from 1805, the master’s punch IR and watch paper. The white enamel dial has black Roman hour numerals, subsidiary seconds dial at six o’clock with black Arabic numerals and gold hands. The numbered very fine chronometer movement, has a special balance, a diamond end stone and is inscribed Chronometer.
The movement is signed.
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Diameter: 58 mm
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Weight: 168 g
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Signed: Ja. Hatton, London
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James Hatton

James Hatton (ca. 1740 – 1815) was an important British watchmaker, who besides clocks also made very beautiful chronometers. In 1773 he published his ‘Introduction to Clock and Watch work’. In search of the best toothing he experimented extensively and found a new mechanism for an epicyclical tooth form. He became a chronometer maker for the East India Company.
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This watch was part of one of the most important European chronometer collections and was auctioned in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2002, for circa CHF 15.000.