Heavy English 18K gold repeating chronograph Circa 1860

Gold full hunter chronograph by J.W. Benson
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A very fine and heavy English 18 carat gold hunting cased minute repeating chronograph lever pocket watch, circa 1860. 4/5 Plate movement, two hammers, two gongs, a wolf’s tooth lever escapement, gold screw compensation balance and free swinging blued balance spring. White enamel dial with Roman hours, outer minute divisions, an outermost fifth of a second track, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock, a 60 minute counter at 12 and spade & whip hands. The plain case with maker’s mark FT for Frederick Thoms is of outstanding quality and has a rotating pendant. Movement signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 53 mm
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Weight: 162 g
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Signed: J.W. Benson 25 Old Bond Street London By Special Warrants to H.M. the Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales
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James William Benson was an English watchmaker. He came from a watchmaking dynasty whose company has existed since 1749. Benson worked from 1857 to 1887 and from 1865 he described himself as watchmaker to the Prince of Wales. At that time, the company was very well known and included a product range of all types of pocket watches and complications, and pocket and marine chronometers with movements by Mercer, Victor Kullberg and Usher & Cole. Large clocks and tower clocks were also part of the product range, such as the clock at Portsmouth Town Hall. Arthur H. and Alfred Benson later took over the firm.