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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Half hunter pocket watch

General Watch Co. (Helvetia) Half-Hunter Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This half-hunter pocket watch was produced by the General Watch Co. (Helvetia) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, and dates to circa 1895-1903. The watch features a gunmetal case paired with a sterling silver half-hunter cover, which is hallmarked Birmingham 1903 and includes the maker's mark SBW. The cover is decorated with a foliate monogram engraving and incorporates a glazed aperture for viewing the white enamel dial. The dial features Roman numerals, gilt spade hands, and a subsidiary seconds hand in blued steel at the six o'clock position. Internally, the timepiece contains a gilt three-quarter plate lever movement, numbered 5873, which incorporates a going-barrel, a club-tooth lever escapement, and a bimetallic compensation balance. The watch is accompanied by an original burgundy leather fitted case with green velvet lining and an original travel stand. It measures 50mm in diameter.

A front view of the half-hunter pocket watch showing the glazed aperture in the cover, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, and the gilt spade hands.
A front view of the half-hunter pocket watch showing the glazed aperture in the cover, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, and the gilt spade hands. — Moorabool Auctions, via Invaluable. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Half hunter pocket watch
Maker / attribution
General Watch Co. (Helvetia)
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1895-1903
Source-reported place
Switzerland
Source-reported serial
5873

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 Exterior Features

The watch is constructed with a gunmetal case accompanied by a sterling silver half-hunter cover. The exterior of the cover features a foliate monogram engraving and a central glazed aperture that allows the user to read the time without fully opening the case. The cover bears a hallmark indicating it was assayed in Birmingham in 1903, alongside the maker's mark SBW.

The timepiece is provided with its original burgundy leather fitted case, which is finished with a green velvet interior. A travel stand, also identified as original to the object, is included for displaying the watch.

Evidence for this section
  • “features a gunmetal case paired with a sterling silver half-hunter cover, which is hallmarked Birmingham 1903 and carries the maker's mark SBW”
  • “cover displays a foliate monogram engraving and includes a glazed aperture”
  • “accompanied by its original burgundy leather fitted case with green velvet lining”

Dial and Timekeeping Components

The dial is composed of white enamel and serves as the visual display for the movement. It is marked with Roman numerals for the primary hour track and includes a subsidiary seconds register positioned at the six o'clock mark. Time is indicated by gilt spade hands, while the seconds hand is formed from blued steel.

The watch is powered by a gilt three-quarter plate lever movement, identifiable by the serial number 5873. The mechanical configuration includes a going-barrel and a club-tooth lever escapement. Regulation of the timekeeping is provided by a bimetallic compensation balance.

Evidence for this section
  • “white enamel dial is accented with Roman numerals, gilt spade hands, and a blued steel subsidiary seconds hand”
  • “houses a gilt three-quarter plate lever movement, serial number 5873, equipped with a going-barrel, a club-tooth lever escapement, and a bimetallic compensation balance”

Production and Origin

The timepiece is attributed to the General Watch Co. (Helvetia), based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The production window for this watch is dated to circa 1895-1903.

The listing reports that the timepiece is currently in working order. The documentation provided for this object is derived from a single auction house record.

Evidence for this section
  • “produced by the General Watch Co. (Helvetia) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland”
  • “dates to circa 1895-1903”
  • “presented in working order”

Open research questions

  • Does the SBW maker's mark refer to a specific casemaker contracted by the General Watch Co.?
  • Is there evidence of the movement's serial number 5873 appearing in surviving General Watch Co. production ledgers?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for General Watch Co. (Helvetia) Half-Hunter Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerGeneral Watch Co. (Helvetia)“General Watch Co. (Helvetia)”
Movement Serial Number5873“serial number 5873”
Case MaterialsGunmetal and sterling silver“gunmetal case paired with a sterling silver half-hunter cover”
Hallmark LocationBirmingham“hallmarked Birmingham 1903”
Dial FeaturesWhite enamel, Roman numerals, gilt hands“white enamel dial is accented with Roman numerals, gilt spade hands”
Movement TypeGilt three-quarter plate lever“gilt three-quarter plate lever movement”
EscapementClub-tooth lever“club-tooth lever escapement”
Diameter50mm“Measuring 50mm in diameter”

Visible details

  • Gilt spade hands indicate time
  • Half-hunter cover features a central glazed window
  • Subsidiary seconds dial positioned at six o'clock

Research qualifications

  • Exact relationship between the Swiss production and the Birmingham hallmark remains unverified
  • Attribution to maker's mark SBW is based on the provided listing

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

Consulted source

Swiss gunmetal and sterling silver half-hunter pocket watch by General Watch Co. (Helvetia), 1903

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 021cf92a04

Terms in this record

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

Other half hunter pocket watch records