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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Brooch watch

Brooch with a watch in a case

Partially verified

This object, held by the Rijksmuseum as accession number BK-16592, is a gold watch suspended from a fleur-de-lis brooch, accompanied by a winding key. The ensemble is housed in a wine-red case. Dated by the source to the period between circa 1881 and circa 1900, the brooch design incorporates decorative pearls. The watch is a pendant-style timepiece with a round case and a white dial featuring Roman numerals for hours and Arabic numerals marking the minutes at five-minute intervals. The winding key is of a simple, functional design consistent with key-wound mechanical movements of the era. The total height of the assembly is measured at 7 cm, with the watch case itself having a diameter of 1.7 cm. The materials are identified by the museum as gold and pearl. The item represents a form of ornamental horological accessory meant to be worn pinned to a garment.

A gold brooch featuring a fleur-de-lis design with pearls, suspending a small pocket watch and an accompanying winding key.
A gold brooch featuring a fleur-de-lis design with pearls, suspending a small pocket watch and an accompanying winding key. — Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Brooch watch
Maker / attribution
Not established
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
BK-16592
Source-reported date
c. 1881 - c. 1900
Source-reported place
Not established

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Composition and Materials

The object consists of a gold-cased watch suspended from a gold brooch shaped as a fleur-de-lis. The watch case itself is relatively small, with a measured diameter of 1.7 cm, reflecting its function as an ornamental piece rather than a primary utilitarian timepiece. The entire assembly measures 7 cm in height.

The watch is designed to be worn pinned to clothing, utilizing the fleur-de-lis brooch as the suspension point. The watch and brooch are accompanied by a separate winding key, indicating the movement is manually wound through a port in the case rather than via a modern crown-winding system. The ensemble is presented in a wine-red storage case.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gold watch with key, suspended from a fleur-de-lis. Decorated with pearls. In a wine-red case.”
  • “height 7 cm x diameter 1.7 cm”

Dial and Chronometry

The watch face is white and features a standard layout with Roman numerals indicating the hours. A secondary scale in Arabic numerals tracks the minutes at five-minute intervals. The dial includes a set of hands consistent with the period and the scale of the watch.

The horological function is framed by its decorative casing and suspension mechanism.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gold watch with key”
  • “diameter 1.7 cm”

Museum Documentation and Classification

The item is part of the Rijksmuseum collection under accession number BK-16592. The museum classifies the object under the categories of 'wrist watch' and 'jewellery', reflecting its dual nature as both a timekeeper and an ornamental garment accessory. The museum's original catalogue text in Dutch provides the basis for the description, noting the specific materials of gold and pearl.

The dating provided by the museum is identified as being between approximately 1881 and 1900. No specific manufacturer is named in the museum documentation, and the broader horological significance or maker identity of the movement remains a subject for further research.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-16592”
  • “c. 1881 - c. 1900”

Open research questions

  • What is the name of the movement manufacturer responsible for the internal mechanism of the watch?
  • What specific type of escapement is utilized within the 1.7 cm case?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Brooch with a watch in a case
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Holding institutionRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-16592”
Museum numberBK-16592“BK-16592”
Materialsgold, pearl“material recorded as pearl, gold (metal)”
Dimensions7 cm height“height 7 cm”
Watch diameter1.7 cm“diameter 1.7 cm”
Datingc. 1881 - c. 1900“c. 1881 - c. 1900”
Included componentsBrooch, watch, key, case“Gold watch with key, suspended from a fleur-de-lis. Decorated with pearls. In a wine-red case.”

Visible details

  • The watch dial features Roman numerals for the hours and smaller Arabic numerals for the minutes.
  • The watch is attached via a link to a gold-toned fleur-de-lis brooch set with small pearls.
  • The watch case features a textured or beaded outer rim.

Research qualifications

  • The exact maker of the timepiece is not specified in the current record.
  • The precise horological mechanism specifications, such as movement type or escapement, remain unverified by the provided source.

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Brooch with a watch in a case

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 3b4a15692c

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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