English gold repeating duplex pocket watch Circa 1820

Gold open faced minute repeater
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A heavy English 18 carat gold open faced minute repeating gentleman’s pocket watch made by Rotherhams in Coventry, circa 1820. The watch features a case with an engine turned back, a reeded band with a slide for the repeating mechanism, plain bezels, pendant and bow, a gold cuvette and maker’s mark RKR. Its white enamel dial displays radial Roman hours, outer minute divisions, sunk auxiliary seconds at 6 o’clock and blued spade hands. The watch has a key wound, frosted gilt full plate movement with a duplex escapement, chain and fusee, gold screw compensation balance, a fine, florally engraved balance cock and chatoned diamond endstone on the balance.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 159 g
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Signed: Rotherhams
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The history of the Rotherham watchmaking company dates back to 1754, when William Vale, a watchmaker from Coventry, founded a workshop with George Howlette and John Carr. Kevin Rotherham, who apprenticed with Samuel Vale in 1747, became a partner in 1790, and the company was subsequently renamed Vale & Rotherham.
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In 1842, the company, then based in Spon Street, Coventry, Warwickshire, was renamed again to Richard Kevitt Rotherham & Sons. From around 1870, the company had a sales office in London at 1, 2 and 3 Holborn Circus, from where they offered large clocks for sale.
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In 1843, their factory system (though not mechanical) attempted to produce 6.000 movements a year. However, this attempt was met with little success. Later, in 1867, the company, since 1850 known as Rotherham & Sons, made another attempt, this time successfully using John Wycherley’s manufacturing system.