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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Alarm pocket watch

Gubelin, Lucerne Pocket Watch with Alarm

Partially verified

This gents pocket watch, made by E. Gubelin of Lucerne, Switzerland, features a steel case and a white enamel dial. The timepiece is configured with a stem and button winding mechanism, utilizing a pendant button for both time and alarm functions. An additional small button located adjacent to the primary pendant is used for the alarm mechanism. The dial includes black Arabic numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial positioned at 6 o'clock, and an alarm dial located at the 12 o'clock position. The back plate, composed of oxidized white metal, bears the marking 'Brevet' accompanied by a cross symbol, alongside the text 'Still Wecker'. The watch is identified by serial number 707298, which is marked on the steel case. The object was acquired by Museums Victoria in 1928 through a donation from Mr. John Askew.

Front view of the Gubelin pocket watch showing the alarm dial at 12 o'clock and subsidiary seconds at 6 o'clock.
Front view of the Gubelin pocket watch showing the alarm dial at 12 o'clock and subsidiary seconds at 6 o'clock. — Museums Victoria. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Category
Pocket watch · Alarm pocket watch
Maker / attribution
E. Gubelin
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
ST 19020
Source-reported date
Not established
Source-reported place
Switzerland
Source-reported serial
707298

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 Design

The pocket watch is housed in a steel case measuring 5.1 cm in diameter with a thickness of 1.5 cm. The dial is executed in white enamel and is marked with black Arabic numerals. The configuration includes two distinct subsidiary dials: a seconds register at the 6 o'clock position and an alarm indicator at the 12 o'clock position.

The watch utilizes an oxidized white metal back plate. The primary winding of the time and alarm springs is controlled through the main pendant button. A secondary, smaller button situated next to the pendant is utilized specifically for the alarm function, allowing for independent operation of this feature within the mechanical design.

Evidence for this section
  • “White enamel dial has black arabic numerals, seconds dial at 6 and alarm dial at 12.”
  • “Time & alarm springs wound up by the same pendant button and alarm by a small button beside pendant button.”
  • “1.5 cm (Width), 5.1 cm (Outside Diameter)”

Signatures and Mechanical Markings

Various inscriptions appear on the object to identify its make and mechanical credentials. The alarm dial is inscribed with the maker's name, 'E. Gubelin Lucerne'. The back plate carries the text 'Still Wecker' in black, alongside the mark 'Brevet' paired with a cross symbol, indicating a patented mechanism for the alarm function.

The serial number 707298 is engraved directly onto the steel case of the watch. These marks serve as the primary identifiers for the object within the museum records, linking it to the specific maker in Lucerne.

Evidence for this section
  • “Alarm dial is marked 'E. Gubelin Lucerne'.”
  • “Back plate is marked 'Brevet' with cross and 'Still Wecker' in black.”
  • “Steel case is marked '707298'.”

Provenance

The object is catalogued by Museums Victoria under the registration number ST 19020. It was incorporated into the museum's collection as part of the science and measurement collecting area.

The records indicate that the watch entered the collection on October 11, 1928, as a donation from Mr. John Askew. This donation accounts for the presence of the object in the current institutional repository.

Evidence for this section
  • “Registration number: ST 19020”
  • “Acquisition: Donation from Mr John Askew, 11 Oct 1928”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific patent associated with the 'Brevet' mark?
  • What is the estimated date of production based on the serial number 707298?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Gubelin, Lucerne Pocket Watch with Alarm
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerE. Gubelin, Lucerne, Switzerland“made by E. Gubelin, Lucerne, Switzerland”
Serial Number707298“Steel case is marked '707298'”
Dial detailsWhite enamel with Arabic numerals and two sub-dials“White enamel dial has black arabic numerals, seconds dial at 6 and alarm dial at 12.”
MechanismStem and button wound with alarm“Time & alarm springs wound up by the same pendant button and alarm by a small button beside pendant button.”
Case materialSteel“steel case, made by E. Gubelin”
Back plate inscriptionsBrevet, a cross symbol, and Still Wecker“Back plate is marked 'Brevet' with cross and 'Still Wecker' in black.”
Registration NumberST 19020“Registration number: ST 19020”

Visible details

  • Dial features Arabic numerals
  • Subsidiary seconds at 6 o'clock
  • Alarm dial at 12 o'clock
  • Small alarm-setting button beside the crown

Research qualifications

  • Date of manufacture is not specified
  • No information provided on the movement caliber

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

Consulted source

Pocket Watch - Gubelin, Lucerne

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record bbeab976ef

Terms in this record

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

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