Skip to content
The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Grisaille Enamel Decorated Gold Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This pocket watch, dating to approximately 1790, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, under the accession number BK-15088. The watch is constructed primarily of gold, supplemented by the use of diamonds and rubies for decorative purposes. The design incorporates a white enamel dial with Arabic numerals and a distinct winding hole positioned near the two o'clock index. A notable feature of the object is the back cover, which displays a river landscape rendered in grisaille enamel painting. The piece is categorized by the holding institution as a watch and a form of jewellery, reflecting its ornate aesthetic. Measuring 4.2 cm in diameter, the watch demonstrates the use of precious stones and fine painting as a means of exterior embellishment in late 18th-century watchmaking, although the specific movement details and maker attribution remain currently unverified within the source documentation.

Front view of the gold pocket watch, showing the dial, winding hole, and stone-set bezel.
Front view of the gold pocket watch, showing the dial, winding hole, and stone-set bezel. — Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Not established
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
BK-15088
Source-reported date
c. 1790
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

Construction and Materials

The object is identified as a gold pocket watch dating to approximately 1790. Its physical composition integrates precious metals and gemstones to form a decorative exterior. The watch utilizes gold as the primary housing material, complemented by the application of both diamonds and rubies.

These materials contribute to the object's external ornamentation, which includes a border of stones around the bezel and an enamel painting on the rear cover. Documentation provided by the Rijksmuseum confirms the mineral composition of the watch as gold, diamond, and ruby.

Evidence for this section
  • “ruby (mineral), gold (metal), diamond (mineral)”
  • “Decorated with diamonds and rubies.”
  • “On the back cover is an enamel painting in grisaille depicting a river landscape.”

Museum Provenance and Documentation

The watch is catalogued by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam under the reference number BK-15088. This institutional record serves as the primary source for the object's measurements and material analysis. The museum classifies the item within its collection under the categories of both watch and jewellery.

The provided source documentation is derived from a translation of the museum's Dutch cataloguing text. It serves as a record for this specific specimen held in the national collection. The entry acknowledges that while specific details of this unit are known, the broader classification or maker attribution remains subject to further research.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-15088”
  • “Description translated from the museum's Dutch catalogue text”
  • “Museum object number BK-15088”

Physical Features and Aesthetic

The watch displays a classic dial configuration with clear black Arabic numerals against a white background.

The exterior of the case is enriched by an enamel painting executed in grisaille, which depicts a river landscape on the back cover. The overall design is supported by a simple gold bow and pendant, intended for attachment to a chain or chatelaine.

Evidence for this section
  • “On the back cover is an enamel painting in grisaille depicting a river landscape.”
  • “Decorated with diamonds and rubies.”
  • “diameter 4.2 cm x height 6.3 cm x width 4.1 cm x depth 1.8 cm”

Open research questions

  • Identify the watchmaker or workshop responsible for the movement and case manufacture.
  • Determine the specific technical details of the movement, such as the escapement type, not visible in the provided imagery.

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Grisaille Enamel Decorated Gold Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Holding InstitutionRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-15088”
Datec. 1790“Watch, c. 1790”
Materialsgold, diamond, ruby“ruby (mineral), gold (metal), diamond (mineral)”
Dimensions4.2 cm diameter“diameter 4.2 cm x height 6.3 cm x width 4.1 cm x depth 1.8 cm”
Decorationgrisaille enamel river landscape“On the back cover is an enamel painting in grisaille depicting a river landscape.”

Visible details

  • Enamel dial with black Arabic numerals
  • Circular gold bow and pendant for suspension
  • Winding aperture positioned to the right of the dial center

Research qualifications

  • The exact identity of the maker is not recorded in the source material.
  • The source notes that the wider type representation has not been independently verified.

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

Consulted source

Watch, c. 1790

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 866d7fa4df

Terms in this record

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

Other pocket watch records