Very fine English gold cased chronometer watch Circa 1790
- Kenmerk
- SA0145
- Diameter
- 53 mm
- Estimate
- € 9.000 - 17.500
- Price sold
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A very fine English gold consular cased chronometer watch “of the second kind”, circa 1790, gilded full plate movement, spring detent escapement, undercuts to the escape wheel and balance pivots for oil retention, jewelled to the centre, ‘OZ’ type compensated balance with plain steel three-arm balance surrounded by two bimetallic affixes having moveable weights on their free ends, gold helical spring, movement signed John Arnold and Son, London, Invt. et Fec.
White enamel dial, Roman numerals, outer minute ring, large subsidiary seconds.
Plain gold consular case, the back cover opening to reveal fixed cover with winding aperture, case maker’s mark TH incuse for Thomas Hardy.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Signed: John Arnold and Son London Invt. et Fec
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This watch is recorded by Vaudrey Mercer in his book John Arnold and Son within the series Arnold termed “Of the Second Kind,” which was a group of small chronometers. This group were numbered to the dial with the ‘numerator’, the fractional number to the backplate differing by 301. Curiously, however, the present watch is one of three examples listed by Mercer where Arnold has made an error in his sequence of fractional
numbers. The present watch is numbered 689/390 to the movement and this series of the “Second Kind” carried the numerator on the dial, but here the denominator is 390. The difference between the fractional numbers is usually 301 but here it is 299 which is the same numerical difference shown on Arnold no. 405/704 and 421/720 which are both from the same series. Taking into account the 301 difference in the fractional numbers of the other watches in the series, it is likely that the numbering of the present watch was intended to be 390/691.
The movement of this watch is signed with the partnership name John Arnold and Son, which was in use from about 1787. An excellent example of the “The Second Kind” series, the movement is jewelled to the centre and the escape wheel and balance pivots have undercuts for oil retention. There is a long detent with shaped foot which are in good, original condition. The watch has an ‘OZ’ balance which Arnold began making in around 1781-1782 and which continued to be used by his son when the firm became Arnold and Son in 1787; the ‘OZ’ is usually paired, as in the present watch, with a gold helical spring. A detailed description of the ‘OZ’ balance, together with illustrations are shown in Vaudrey Mercer, John Arnold and Son.
Signed: John Arnold and Son London Invt. et Fec
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