English silver clock watch with champlevé dial Circa 1715-1719

Silver verge watch with champlevé dial by Daniel Delander
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An English verge pocket watch in silver pair cases with champlevé dial, circa 1715.
The full plate gilt movement boasts a pierced and engraved winged balance cock, a diamond endstone, and silver regulation. The silver champlevé dial features Roman radial hours, half-hour markers, an outer minute track with Arabic five-minute numerals, and blued steel beetle and poker hands. The plain hinged polished inner and outer case adds to the elegant simplicity of the design.
Delander’s signature is engraved on the movement’s backplate, while the dial’s central cartouche bears his name and the location of creation, London. The interior of the outer case is marked with Jaques’ maker’s mark and the number 623, while the interior of the inner case bears the partially effaced letter W over 523. The case interior is also marked with the initials ND.
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Diameter: 51 mm
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Signed: Delander, London
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The timepiece was created by Daniel Delander, a British watchmaker who lived from 1678 to 1733. The watch’s exterior was crafted by William Jaques, a British case maker who was recorded in 1679 and passed away in 1720.
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The watch features a technique from the 1700s where gemstones with drilled holes were used to pivot the shafts of the watch’s wheels. This innovation served a practical purpose by strengthening a vulnerable part of the watch and also added an aesthetic element. The balance cock of Delander’s watch is intricately pierced and engraved, showcasing a prominent pink diamond endstone at its centre.