English precision pocket watch of very fine quality Circa 1886

Pocket watch by royal chronometer maker Dent London
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An English 18 Carat gold half hunter cased lever pocket watch of exceptional quality with London Hallmarks, circa 1886. The case features an engine-turned design and an engraving on the back, along with an original dust cover. The white enamel dial boasts an outer ring with Roman numerals for the hours and a subsidiary dial at the unusual 9 o’clock position with Arabic numerals for the minutes and original steel hands. The full plate movement with anchor escapement is labelled “Watchmaker to the Queen”, indicating the exquisite craftsmanship of this timepiece.
Both the movement and dial bear matching numbers and are signed, further adding to their authenticity and value.
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Diameter: 49 mm
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Weight: 116 g
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Signed: Dent, 61 Strand & 4 Royal Exchange, London, 43245
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Dent
A celebrated watchmaking dynasty founded in 1814 by Edward John Dent, known for high-quality watches, clocks, chronometers and regulators. Dent was born on August 19th, 1790 in London and he died on March 8th, 1853 in London. After starting life as a tallow chandler, Dent switched to watchmaking. From 1815 to 1829, he was employed by the Vulliamys and the Barrauds. In 1830 Edward John entered into a partnership with John Roger Arnold. In 1840 he opened his own workshop at 33 Cockspur Street, London. The company embraced the Victorian fervour for technological innovation and created amongst others precision chronometers to navigate the Royal Navy. Dent also proved a key player in Victorian horological history by manufacturing the Standard Clock at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, which was to keep ‘Greenwich Mean Time’, the time to which all others in the British Empire were referred (better known today as G.M.T.) and continued to do so until replaced by an electronic clock in 1946. Dent further made probably the most famous clock in the world, the Great Clock for the Houses of Parliament, commonly known as Big Ben. He was succeeded by his step-sons Frederick and Richard who assumed his name. In both the 19th and 20th centuries, the firm supplied marine chronometers and watches to the Royal Navy and also received Royal Warrants. It continued until relatively recently at 41 Pall Mall, London, as E. Dent & Co. Ltd.