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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Verge escapement pocket watch

C.E. Orbin Gold Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This pocket watch, held by the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology, is an 18th-to-19th-century horological instrument attributed to C.E. Orbin of Stockholm. The watch is contained within a plain gold case measuring 54.0 mm in diameter. Its technical construction features a verge escapement mechanism and a balance that is jewelled, with a hairspring spanning approximately four turns. The movement is controlled by a long regulator hand, and the balance cock has been repaired in the centre. The watch is signed 'C.E. Orbin, Stockholm No 643' and bears hallmarks including 'OEM', 'three crowns', 'Sthlm', '18K', and a date stamp 'W2', interpreted as 1803. The dial is composed of white enamel and retains its original gold hands, though the surface shows signs of minor damage.

Front view of the C.E. Orbin pocket watch, showing the white enamel dial and gold hands; note the winding hole visible at approximately the 1 o'clock position.
Front view of the C.E. Orbin pocket watch, showing the white enamel dial and gold hands; note the winding hole visible at approximately the 1 o'clock position. — Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology via Europeana. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Verge escapement pocket watch
Maker / attribution
C.E. Orbin
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
TEKS0044256
Source-reported date
1803
Source-reported place
Sweden
Source-reported serial
643

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

Case and Dial

The watch is housed in a plain, circular gold case measuring 54.0 mm in diameter. These include the 'OEM' mark, the 'three crowns' national mark of Sweden, 'Sthlm' for Stockholm, and an '18K' gold fineness stamp.

The dial is crafted from white enamel and carries the signature 'Orbin' located below the central hand arbor. The hours are indicated by Arabic numerals from 1 to 12, complemented by a secondary index for minutes at the outer track. Original gold hands are present, though the enamel surface displays minor damage, as reported by the holding institution.

Evidence for this section
  • “Pocket watch in plain gold case”
  • “White enamel dial with minor damage, original gold hands”
  • “Stamped OEM three crowns, Sthlm, 18K, W2=1803”

Movement and Escapement

The movement is a verge escapement mechanism, a traditional horological configuration for the period. It includes a jewelled balance, and the hairspring has a recorded length of approximately four turns. Regulation of the watch's rate is managed via a long regulator hand.

The condition of the movement is partially documented, specifically noting a past repair to the balance cock. The museum record explicitly mentions that the balance cock has been 'repaired in the centre', which is a significant observation regarding the current state of the internal components.

Evidence for this section
  • “verge escapement, intact (balance cock repaired in centre), long regulator hand”
  • “Balance jewelled. Hairspring approx. 4 turns.”

Signature and Provenance

The watch is signed 'C.E. Orbin, Stockholm No 643' on the movement, providing clear attribution to the Stockholm-based maker C.E. Orbin. The object is currently part of the permanent collection of the Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology under the object number TEKS0044256.

The identification of the watch's age is facilitated by the stamped mark 'W2', which corresponds to the year 1803 according to Swedish hallmarking standards.

Evidence for this section
  • “signed C.E. Orbin, Stockholm No 643”
  • “Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology”
  • “W2=1803”

Open research questions

  • What specific horological records exist for C.E. Orbin as a Stockholm watchmaker?
  • Does the 'W2' hallmark system definitively correlate to the 1803 date across all Swedish horological pieces of this era?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for C.E. Orbin Gold Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerC.E. Orbin“attributed to Orbin, C.E.”
Serial Number643“C.E. Orbin, Stockholm No 643”
Diameter54.0 mm“Diameter 54.0 mm”
EscapementVerge“verge escapement”
HallmarksOEM, three crowns, Sthlm, 18K, W2=1803“Stamped OEM three crowns, Sthlm, 18K, W2=1803”
Dial MaterialWhite enamel“White enamel dial with minor damage”
Movement DetailBalance jewelled; hairspring 4 turns“Balance jewelled. Hairspring approx. 4 turns.”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with visible minor surface damage.
  • Plain gold case with a diameter of 54.0 mm.
  • Original gold hands with distinct arrow-shaped terminals.
  • Signed 'Orbin' on the dial beneath the centre arbor.

Research qualifications

  • The balance cock is noted as having been repaired in the centre.
  • The wider type, maker history, and catalogue references require further validation against specialist sources.

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

Consulted source

Pocket watch, in plain gold case, Orbin, C.E.

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 3988768118

Terms in this record

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

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