Swiss gunmetal keyless lever pocket watch with alarm Circa 1915

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Kenmerk: HC1205
Diameter: 48 mm

Estimate: € 500 - 1.000
Price sold: € 600

Gunmetal open faced watch
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A rare pocket watch with alarm made by Zenith S.A. in Le Locle, Switzerland, circa 1915. Retailed by Birch & Gaydon in London, England. The open faced gunmetal case is numbered. The white enamel dial features luminous Arabic hour numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock, an alarm scale at 12 and cathedral hands with remains of luminous material. The precision movement is fitted with a lever escapement, tandem winding and alarm on a gong. This watch comes in its original presentation box.
The movement is marked Swiss made and the dial is signed by the retailer.
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Diameter: 47.5 mm
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Weight: 75 g
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Signed: Birch & Gaydon Ltd London Swiss made
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Birch & Gaydon was a London business of retail watchmakers, jewellers and silversmiths. In the 18^th century, the company began as a watch repair shop, and during the 19th century, it manufactured watches.

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By 1900, increased competition from Switzerland and America made the traditional English craft methods of watchmaking no longer economically viable, so the business concentrated on retailing watches, jewellery and items made by others.

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The company can trace its roots back to around 1760. It was established by William Turner, a watchmaker, at 18 Cornhill in the City of London, close to the Bank of England. In 1825, Turner moved his business to 167 Fenchurch Street, London. By 1833, the business had relocated to number 173.

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William Turner died in 1839, and in 1840, the business was taken over by William Birch, born in 1815 and died aged 88 in 1903.
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Birch had the ambition to be more than just a watch repairer and became a fully-fledged watchmaker following the traditional English handcraft method. Between 1840 and 1860, he made about 30 watches a year. From 1860 to 1880, this number declined to around a dozen per annum, but rose again to around 30 from 1880 to 1900. Output fell sharply in the years after 1900 and by 1920 had ceased altogether.
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In 1874, the company relocated across the road to 172 Fenchurch Street.
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Henry Martin Gaydon had joined Birch in 1877 as a partner, naming their business Birch & Gaydon. William Birch retired from the partnership on September 29^th, 1883. Birch & Gaydon, at the time of his retirement, described as chronometer makers, goldsmiths and jewellers at 172 Fenchurch Street, continued with Gaydon as sole partner. In 1904, the company moved to 153 Fenchurch Street as the premises at number 172 were being demolished.
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Ownership of Birch & Gaydon passed to Henry Gaydon’s son William, who sold the business to Asprey & Co. Ltd. in 1959. Asprey continued to use the name Birch & Gaydon for some time, referring to it as their branch in the City of London.

Signed: Birch & Gaydon Ltd London Swiss made