Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Bought this year, with the original box. The watch (movement and case) was made by A. Lange, Glashütte, although signed for Bright & Sons. Bright & Sons were one of two major distributors for Lange watches in the UK.

This one does not have a box and is a recase, but has a brilliant provenance. Family owned from new and until I acquired it. I even have a photo of the first owner and his wife.

OK, how about this one? 😟



This is NOT one of these so called "Dutch Forgeries", but a real Dutch one, made about 1770.

Cheers, Bernhard

Yes, a verge with fusee. The condition is indeed exceptional and it runs nicely, the complete chain down, and with an accuracy typical for verges (+10 minutes per day).

This particular watch was apparently disregarded by potential buyers, because at a first look it appears to be a "Dutch forgery", when looking at the arcaded minute ring on the dial and the form of the balance bridge. "Dutch forgeries" are Swiss watches made around 1800, which were produced in high numbers, signed with famous or fantasy names and often "London" as the location. They were distributed into many countries and at very competitive prices, making them attractive to the less knowledgable consumers. In most cases in Dutch style, and from this this phrase has established. The quality of the work generally was less than good (friendly spoken) and therefore "serious" collectors typically disregard them (including myselfe) as soon as they notice the arcaded dial design (i.e. instantly). Luckily nobody took a closer look in this case or bothered to research the maker. I immediately recognized that the quality of workmanship of the movement is outstanding (thus untypical for a Dutch forgery) and got it for a little above what is typically paid for a "Dutch forgery". Presumably the seller did not know either.

"Watchmakers made watches", well, that was not really true even in the 18th century, if it is meant in the sense that the watchmakers makes all or most of the components themselves. Even back then most watchmakers rather bought-in various components from the cottage industry with specialists for various components and "assembled" these to the final product. But generally this "assembling" was a bit more than just putting together, but often involved one or the other modifcation to the ebauches and in particular decoration work. And in rarer case really a lot of work was put into the making, this being an example. The maker Hermanus Caspari likely did not make the ebauche hinself (or e.g. the hairspring, chain, train wheels) but nevertheless made giant efforts for making of the escapement, the balance bridge, the pierced plates on the top plate, the applications to the pillars and other components (each being individually cast, not one being the same as the other), and other detailing.

Cheers, Bernhard

@Waltesefalcon : Lovely, in particular because of the apparently mint dial. As a European I have always wondered about the "jewel run" in the USA and would never disregard a "low" jewel number. Concerning spare parts, in particular hands, you US fellows are lucky with the American watches. In English watches a wrong hand often results in that one has to have a correct one made by hand. You, in contrast just need to order one for little money 😁.



Hi Canuck,

How is this achieved? I have an Elgin Interchangable, wherein a quite sophisticated design allows adaptation to both case types, maintaining the "correct" position of the "12", see below. I love this watch. although it also has a "low" jewel count.

Cheers, Bernhard

Yes, and the front side is also quite unusual, at least for us Europeans. Upon pushing the winding crown the bezel with the crystal swings open, allowing access to the lever for setting. Thereby the dial edge is protected by another snap-on "bezel", which is, however, not designed to have a (second) crystal. The case is apparantly original and solid gold.

@Waltesefalcon Could your watch be what is known in some circles as a 'Prescot watch', Prescot being a suburb of Liverpool where many ebauche were made for the English pocket watch? There is an interesting website on such things here http://lancashirewatchcompany.co.uk/lancashire-watch-company-prescot/prescot-watches/
Mr Platt who has written the book on The Lancashire Watch Co and owns the website is a very nice and approachable chap.

It is a lever escapement. The amplitude will give you a hint as to whether a service is urgently needed. The regulator is on the "slow" side and perhaps moving it right into the middle position lets it loose less. These movements should manage less than a minute per day.

Looking at the cases, I would have dated the watch a bit earlier. A look at the hall marks will definitely clarify this. Typically the case(s) have the same numbers stamped in as the movement ("matching numbers", but exceptions exist).

Cheers, Bernhard