English gold chronometer in Earnshaw’s manner Circa 1810

Gold chronometer
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A very fine pocket chronometer made by Barrauds in Cornhill, London, England, circa 1810. The original open faced case of this watch, which was crafted from 18 carat gold, has London Hallmarks for 1810 and the master’s mark IM. The numbered white enamel dial has Roman hour numerals, outer minute divisions, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock and gold hands. The movement has a chronometer escapement in the manner of Earnshaw, helical hairspring and a diamond endstone.
Dial numbered and signed Barrauds, movement numbered and signed Barrauds Cornhill London, dial and movement have matching numbers.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Weight: 151 g
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Signed: Barrauds Cornhill London
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The Barrauds, a family of watchmakers. Paul Philip Barraud was a prominent English watchmaker who lived and worked in London, specifically in Cornhill. He became well known for the construction of chronometers. He was born on December 5th, 1752, in Soho, London, to Francis Gabriel Barraud and Magdalen Bennin Crespin, the daughter of a well known Huguenot silversmith named Paul Crespin.

In 1796, he became a member of the Clockmakers’ Company and a master from 1810 to 1811. Paul Philip formed a partnership with George Jamison and William Howells. He married Marriet Chapman and they had seven children together. Three of their sons, Frederick Joseph, John and James, also learned the watchmaking trade. He further taught other watchmakers, including Thomas Robison from December 1st, 1800, to December 7th, 1812, and William Turpin from June 5th or June 6th, 1809. After a long and painful illness, Paul Philip died on August 26th, 1820 in Croydon, Surrey and Frederick Joseph assumed management of the firm under the name Barraud & Son, Barraud & Sons and Barrauds.

Frederick Joseph was free of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1806. He took his son Frederick Philip and the son of his brother John, Hilton Paul, as his apprentices. John himself had only a minor role in the business and the youngest brother James did not follow the trade at all. The company manufactured over 1.000 chronometers between 1796 and 1820. In 1838, Frederick Philip joined in partnership with John Richard Lund, a horological inventor, they renamed the firm Barrauds & Lund. In 1846, Hilton Paul replaced his uncle, Frederick Joseph in the firm. Frederick Joseph died on September 4th, 1859.

Paul Philippe Barraud was also the great-grandfather of William Barraud (1810-1850) and Henry Barraud (1811-1874), who were well known animal painters. Henry Barraud’s son was painter Francis Barraud (1856–1924), who became known for creating the iconic “His Master’s Voice” logo of a dog named Nipper next to a gramophone.