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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Gold pocket watch

Gold pocket watch by Allen Walker

Partially verified

This gold watch, held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam under accession number BK-NM-12821, is dated to the period between circa 1750 and circa 1800. The watch is constructed primarily from gold. The dial is finished in enamel and features the signature 'ALLEN WALKER'. Externally, the piece is characterized by an outer case decorated with repoussé metalwork depicting the scene of Moses in the rush basket. The overall dimensions of the watch include a diameter of 4 cm for the watch itself, a 4.6 cm case diameter, an overall height of 6 cm, and a depth of 2.5 cm. This museum object is catalogued in Dutch as 'Horloge van goud'.

Front view of the gold pocket watch showing the enamelled dial with the inscription 'ALLEN WALKER'.
Front view of the gold pocket watch showing the enamelled dial with the inscription 'ALLEN WALKER'. — Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Gold pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Allen Walker
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
BK-NM-12821
Source-reported date
c. 1750 - c. 1800
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

Case and External Design

The watch is encased in gold and features a prominent decorative treatment on its outer shell. The exterior surface is executed in the repoussé technique, a method of hammering the metal from the reverse side to create a three-dimensional relief on the front.

The specific subject of this decoration is the biblical narrative of Moses in the rush basket. The case measurements are documented by the Rijksmuseum as having a diameter of 4.6 cm, with the total depth of the object noted at 2.5 cm.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gold watch with enamelled dial.”
  • “Repoussé-worked on the outer case is a depiction of Moses in the rush basket.”

Dial and Signatures

The watch features a white enamelled dial, which serves as the mounting surface for the timekeeping indications.

The name 'ALLEN WALKER' is inscribed directly onto the dial. This signature provides the primary identification for the maker or retailer associated with the piece, though further research is required to contextualize the work of this specific name within eighteenth-century horology.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gold watch with enamelled dial.”

Documentation and Provenance

This object is held within the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is officially indexed as item BK-NM-12821. The documentation provided by the museum serves as the authoritative source for the physical measurements and the materials described.

The museum identifies the object simply as a 'Horloge van goud' (Gold watch). While the institutional record confirms its physical presence and classification, it explicitly notes that details regarding the wider horological significance or specific technical provenance have not been independently verified by outside sources.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-12821”
  • “Original title Horloge van goud”
  • “details are those of this museum object, and how far it represents a wider type has not been independently verified.”

Open research questions

  • What specific workshop or regional tradition produced the repoussé work on the outer case?
  • Does the internal movement bear a maker's mark or serial number that links it definitively to an individual named Allen Walker?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Gold pocket watch by Allen Walker
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Museum numberBK-NM-12821“BK-NM-12821”
MaterialGold“gold (metal)”
Date range1750-1800“c. 1750 - c. 1800”
Outer case decorationRepoussé scene of Moses in the rush basket“Repoussé-worked on the outer case is a depiction of Moses in the rush basket.”
Dimensions4cm watch diameter, 4.6cm case diameter“diameter 4 cm x diameter 4.6 cm x height 6 cm x depth 2.5 cm”

Visible details

  • Enamelled dial featuring Roman numerals for the hours
  • Outer case decorated with a repoussé relief scene
  • Signature 'ALLEN WALKER' clearly visible on the dial
  • Gold construction of the watch and case components

Research qualifications

  • The wider type and historical context of the movement remain to be independently verified
  • Maker attribution requires corroboration against specific horological records

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

Consulted source

Watch of gold, c. 1750 - c. 1800 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, BK-NM-12821)

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record ca6e25d295

Terms in this record

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

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