English pocket watch with split-seconds chronograph Circa 1888

Heavy gold hunting cased watch by Nicole Nielsen & Co.
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A heavy English hunting cased pocket watch with split-seconds chronograph, circa 1888.
18 Carat gold, tiered, polished case with engraved monogram NW, gold dome, case maker’s punch mark EN (Emil Nielsen partner in Nicole, Nielsen & Co., entered 6 August 1878), and pusher for chronograph at 11 and 1. Signed enamel with radial Roman hours, auxiliary seconds at 9, and blued spade hands. And it has a signed, frosted, gilt 3/4 plate movement with finely ground and bevelled chronograph steel parts, ratchet wheel, English lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance, fine florally engraved balance cock, and index spring fine adjusting device.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 169 g
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Signed: Nicole Nielsen & Co., 14 Soho Square, London
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Nicole Nielsen & Co.
The Nicole Nielsen & Co. had a reputation for the fine quality of their watches; they were one of the main suppliers for Chas.Frodsham. Nicole Nielsen started out as a manufacturer of chronographs but extended their product range to include pocket chronometers, carrousel watches and tourbillons for well-known brands in London.
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The Swiss parent company Nicole & Capt was founded in Geneva in 1837; Adolphe Nicole and his partner Henry Capt opened their first branch in 1840 in London. Jules Capt joined the company as a partner in 1843 after Henry Capt had died; one year later Adolphe Nicole received his first patent. He was issued two more patents, in 1862 (for a chronograph movement) and 1870 (for a resilient lever). Shortly after Jules Capt’s death in 1876 Sophus Emil Nielsen, son-in-law and employee of Nicole, became a partner and applied for a patent (for an up and down mechanism).
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In 1888 Sophus Emil Nielsen sold the company to Mr North and held the position of managerial director together with Harrison MillFrodsham. Whereas Nicole Nielsen & Co. probably had many of their special parts made in Switzerland, the majority of parts was produced on the premises at Soho Square.
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In 1898 31-year-old Robert Benson North became director of the company; Sophus Emil Nielsen died in 1899. In 1904 the production range was extended to include tachometers for cars and a new factory for this line was built in Watford in the northwest of London.
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In 1917 the company name changed from “Nicole Nielsen & Co. Ltd.” to “North & Sons Ltd., 14 Soho Square”. After the First World War, the company suffered heavy sales losses; Robert Benson North died in 1929 and in 1932 the company entered into liquidation – truly a sad ending for a staff of 350 in Watford and for the employees at headquarters at Soho Square.