English subsidiary seconds verge Thomas Tompion Circa 1690

Silver subsidiary seconds verge by Tompion
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An extremely rare English verge pocket watch by Tompion with early subsidiary seconds dial, circa 1690.
Deep full plate fire gilt movement with pierced tulip pillars. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel set-up between the plates. Pierced and engraved winged cock, pierced and engraved foot. Plain steel balance, silver regulator disc. Purpose made signed white enamel dial with subsidiary seconds, Roman and Arabic numerals, blue steel beetle and poker hands. Purpose made matching silver pair cases, case maker’s punch mark JS.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: Thos Tompion London
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Thomas Tompion Without doubt Thomas Tompion (1637-1713) must be considered the most famous of all English clockmakers; in the 18th century, he alone was responsible for the rise to supremacy of English clock making. He became a brother of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1671 and moved 1674 to a workshop in Water Lane, from where he conducted his business for the rest of his life. In the very same year, Tompion met Robert Hooke, when Hooke sought his help in proving that his invention of the balance spring was prior to that of Huygens’. This brought Tompion to the notice of King Charles II and his status was rapidly elevated. Tompion created the first clock for the Greenwich Observatory in 1676 and collaborated with Booth and Houghton in 1695 in patenting an escapement with a horizontal escape wheel, which was considered to be a forerunner of the cylinder. Buckingham Palace today holds two-equation clocks which were probably supplied to William III in the 1690s. Sometime between 1680 and 1685, Tompion started to number his production, apparently being the first maker to do this. He was elected Master of the Clockmakers’ Company in 1703 and took George Graham into partnership around 1711; this partnership was to last until the end of Tompions life. Tompion No. 1303 This watch formed part of the Burton collection, see “The Watch Collection of Stanley H Burton Warts and All”. A rare early Tompion, no. 1303 (the circled dot representing a thousand), with subsidiary seconds. Until the application of the balance spring watches were not accurate enough for the indication of seconds to be useful. There are less than a dozen examples of Tompion’s watches with subsidiary seconds recorded. The dial plate is stamped “SC” for the movement finisher whose mark is found on many Tompion watches as well as some by Daniel Quare and James Markwick. The mark might be for Sampson Crooke. This quality of the movement was still appreciated enough 80 years after its manufacture to warrant it having a new dial and case made for it. See “Thomas Tompion at the Dial and Three Crowns” by Jeremy Evans who we thank for his help in providing information about this watch.