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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch

English 9k Gold Open Face Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This antique English open-face pocket watch, estimated to date from circa 1870, is constructed with a 9-karat gold case measuring 31 millimeters in diameter. It is designed in a compact 0-size format. The dial features a gold background adorned with intricate relief patterns of flowers and foliage, complemented by black spade-style hands and black roman numerals set against a circular track. The outer edge of the dial is marked with gold dots for minute indication. The exterior back cover is decorated with extensive floral and acanthus-style engravings, featuring a central vacant shield intended for personal inscriptions or crests. Internally, the watch is powered by a gilded mechanical cylinder movement. Time setting is achieved via a pin-set mechanism. The timepiece is reported to be in good running order.

Front view showing the engraved gold dial and black spade hands.
Front view showing the engraved gold dial and black spade hands. — Ashton-Blakey Antiques. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
zamanito.com
Category
Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Not established
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1870
Source-reported place
England

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 an open-face 9-karat gold case measuring 31 millimeters in diameter. The rear cover displays detailed floral and acanthus leaf engraving, surrounding a plain central cartouche designed for personalization.

The dial is finished in gold and features a central decorative relief of floral and foliage motifs. Hours are marked with black Roman numerals, while the perimeter includes a circular track accented with gold dots for minute tracking. Time is indicated by black spade-style hands.

Evidence for this section
  • “ساختار قاب این قطعه از طلای ۹ عیار بوده”
  • “صفحه ساعت دارای زمینه طلایی با تزیینات بسیار پرکار است”

Movement and Mechanism

The timepiece is powered by a mechanical cylinder movement, a common configuration for slim pocket watches produced in the latter half of the 19th century. The movement components are finished in a gilded layer.

The watch utilizes a pin-set system for adjusting the time, which is located on the case exterior. The auction description reports that the watch is currently in a running state, though no information regarding the history of past maintenance or repair is available.

Evidence for this section
  • “موتور با روکش طلا (Gilded) و مجهز به مکانیزم مهار سیلندری (Cylinder Movement)”
  • “به سیستم تنظیم زمان با پین (Pin Set)”
  • “ساعت در وضعیت کارکرد مناسب و روان (Nicely running) قرار دارد”

Provenance and Condition

The watch is attributed to English manufacture circa 1870. The current presentation of the object shows the decorative exterior and internal mechanism in preserved condition.

All details regarding the watch's origins, technical operation, and performance status are based upon information provided by the seller and associated catalogue sources. No independent verification of these claims has been conducted.

Evidence for this section
  • “ساخت انگلستان حدود ۱۸۷۰”
  • “تاریخ ساخت این قطعه حدود سال ۱۸۷۰ میلادی تخمین زده شده است”
  • “بدنه و موتور با جزییات تزیینی سالم حفظ شده‌اند”

Open research questions

  • Does the movement contain any hidden maker's marks or caliber identifiers under the balance cock?
  • Can the specific English gold hallmarks inside the case be identified to confirm a more precise date or geographic origin?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for English 9k Gold Open Face Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Case material9-karat gold“ساختار قاب این قطعه از طلای ۹ عیار بوده”
Movement typeGilded cylinder movement“موتور با روکش طلا (Gilded) و مجهز به مکانیزم مهار سیلندری (Cylinder Movement)”
Case diameter31 mm“با قطر ۳۱ میلی‌متر ساخته شده است”
Setting mechanismPin-set“به سیستم تنظیم زمان با پین (Pin Set)”
DateCirca 1870“تاریخ ساخت این قطعه حدود سال ۱۸۷۰ میلادی تخمین زده شده است”
Case typeOpen-face“با طراحی قاب باز (اوپن‌فیس)”
OriginEngland“ساخت انگلستان”

Visible details

  • Case features extensive scroll and floral engraving on the rear cover
  • Dial includes a central guilloche-style engraved floral pattern
  • The movement is a bridge-style gilded cylinder caliber

Research qualifications

  • Full repair or service history is not documented
  • Specific maker identity is not provided in the source

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

Consulted source

ساعت جیبی طلا 9K مدل Open Face ساخت انگلستان حدود ۱۸۷۰

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 30dc938b90

Terms in this record

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

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