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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Component · Watch dial

Gilt metal watch dial

Partially verified

This circular watch dial, measuring 4.1 cm in diameter and 0.05 cm in depth, was produced between 1850 and 1880. Constructed from gilt metal, the piece is decorated through engraving and painting. The dial features black painted Roman numerals arranged in a circle, bordered by an engraved husk design on the outer rim and an engraved floral wreath around the inner perimeter. The central area displays an engraved bouquet of stylised flowers. The dial originates from the workshop of Jean Julien Faucherre (1805-1891), a Swiss engraver who trained in Switzerland, worked in France, and subsequently settled in London by 1841. This object is part of a larger documented group of workshop materials gifted by Miss Jeanne Faucherre to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Such dials were often supplied to larger silversmiths or retailers of the Victorian period for final assembly into horological instruments.

Front view of the gilt metal watch dial showing the engraved floral motifs and painted Roman numerals.
Front view of the gilt metal watch dial showing the engraved floral motifs and painted Roman numerals. — Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
collections.vam.ac.uk
Category
Component · Watch dial
Maker / attribution
Jean Julien Faucherre
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
M.9-2009
Source-reported date
1850-1880
Source-reported place
London

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

Construction and Decoration

The watch dial is a round component crafted from gilt metal, finished with detailed engraving and paintwork. The design incorporates an outer border featuring an engraved husk pattern, while the inner border comprises an engraved floral wreath that encircles the numerals.

The central portion of the dial is decorated with an engraved bouquet of stylised flowers. Black paint is utilized for the Roman numerals, which are positioned between the inner and outer engraved borders. The dial maintains a thin profile, with a recorded depth of 0.05 cm.

Evidence for this section
  • “Round gilt metal dial with engraved husk outer border and floral wreath inner border enveloping the black painted Roman numerals of the dial.”
  • “Central engraved bouquet of stylised flowers.”

Maker and Workshop Context

Jean Julien Faucherre (1805-1891) was a Swiss engraver who established his practice in London by 1841. While he was recognized as a master watch engraver in 1857, his workshop produced a range of decorative items for the silversmithing trade, including electrotyped boxes and panels for carriage clocks.

The existence of this dial is part of a rare collection of documented items from a smaller trade supplier, providing insight into mid-to-late 19th-century horological production in London.

Evidence for this section
  • “the surviving material, although including watch dials, demonstrates wider involvement in the silversmithing trade from electrotyped dressing table boxes to engraved panels for carriage clocks.”
  • “His work would have been largely anonymous and sold under the name of larger silversmiths or retailers of the Victorian period.”

Provenance and History

This dial is catalogued as part of a group of objects associated with the workshop of Jean Julien Faucherre. The accession of these materials, identified under the number M.9-2009, was made possible through a gift from Miss Jeanne Faucherre.

The group provides a record of the items produced within the Faucherre workshop during his time in London.

Evidence for this section
  • “This is one of a group of objects from the workshop of Jean Julien Faucherre ( M 4- 24- 2009 ).”
  • “Given by Miss Jeanne Faucherre”

Open research questions

  • What types of movements were commonly paired with this specific dial design in London during the mid-19th century?
  • To which specific retailers did the Faucherre workshop typically supply these dials?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Gilt metal watch dial
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerJean Julien Faucherre“Maker: Faucherre, Jean Julien (made)”
Date1850-1880“Date: 1850-1880”
Place of originLondon“Place of origin: London (Made)”
MaterialsGilt metal“Materials and techniques: Gilt metal, engraved and painted”
Dimensions4.1 cm diameter“Diameter: 4.1 cm”
Accession numberM.9-2009“Accession number: M.9-2009”

Visible details

  • Engraved husk outer border
  • Central bouquet of flowers
  • Hand-painted black Roman numerals
  • Circular gilt metal construction

Research qualifications

  • Specific watch caliber for which this dial was intended remains unknown
  • The dial appears to have been part of a larger group of workshop materials, with individual provenance history limited to the workshop source

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

Consulted source

Watch dial

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record 8e164b06a4

Terms in this record

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

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