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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Half hunter pocket watch

J.W. Benson 18k Gold Keyless Half Hunter Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This J.W. Benson pocket watch is a keyless-wind, half hunter timepiece constructed from 18k gold, featuring a London hallmark for 1879. The watch measures 49mm in diameter and is housed in a polished, hinged case, with the front cover displaying a blue Roman numeral chapter ring. The white dial is signed J.W. Benson London and features black Roman numeral hour markers, a black outer minute track, and a subsidiary seconds dial at the 6 o'clock position. The movement is a gilt 3/4 plate Swiss lever mechanism, numbered 5131, which includes a cut and compensated bi-metallic balance. The watch is equipped with blued steel double spade hands. Both the dial and movement bear the signature of J.W. Benson, while the case is stamped W.J.W and numbered 5131. The object represents an example of a late 19th-century English-market half hunter pocket watch.

View of the J.W. Benson 18k gold half hunter pocket watch with the front cover open, displaying the white enamel dial.
View of the J.W. Benson 18k gold half hunter pocket watch with the front cover open, displaying the white enamel dial. — Bonhams, via Invaluable. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Half hunter pocket watch
Maker / attribution
J.W. Benson
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
1879
Source-reported place
England
Source-reported serial
5131

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 Construction

The watch is housed in an 18k gold polished, hinged case with a half hunter design. The front cover incorporates a blue Roman numeral chapter ring, which is visible even when the cover is closed. The case back is stamped with the mark W.J.W and the serial number 5131.

The white enamel dial displays black Roman numeral hour markers and a corresponding black outer minute track. A subsidiary seconds dial is positioned at the 6 o'clock location. The timepiece is fitted with blued steel double spade hands, providing a contrast to the white dial surface. The signature J.W. Benson London is applied to the upper section of the dial.

Evidence for this section
  • “housed in a polished, hinged case, with the front cover displaying a blue Roman numeral chapter ring”
  • “The white dial is signed J.W. Benson London and features black Roman numeral hour markers”
  • “case is stamped W.J.W and numbered 5131”

Movement and Mechanism

The internal mechanism is identified as a keyless-wind, gilt 3/4 plate Swiss lever movement. It is catalogued with the serial number 5131, matching the case number. The escapement incorporates a cut and compensated bi-metallic balance, designed to adjust for temperature variations.

The movement features the signature of J.W. Benson. The winding and setting of the watch are performed via the crown.

Evidence for this section
  • “keyless wind, half hunter timepiece”
  • “gilt 3/4 plate Swiss lever mechanism, No. 5131, which includes a cut and compensated bi-metallic balance”
  • “movement bear the signature of J.W. Benson”

Identification and Attribution

The timepiece is dated to 1879 based on the presence of a London hallmark.

The combination of the London hallmarks and the specific Swiss lever movement provides the basis for the dating. The identification of the maker rests on the signature present on both the dial and the movement of the object.

Evidence for this section
  • “London Hallmark for 1879”
  • “The design represents the classic aesthetics of a late 19th-century English-market half hunter pocket watch.”

Open research questions

  • What is the identity of the 'W.J.W' stamp on the case?
  • Was the Swiss lever movement sourced from a specific Swiss ébauche manufacturer before final finishing by J.W. Benson?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for J.W. Benson 18k Gold Keyless Half Hunter Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerJ.W. Benson“The white dial is signed J.W. Benson London”
Material18k gold“constructed from 18k gold”
Movement typeGilt 3/4 plate Swiss lever“gilt 3/4 plate Swiss lever mechanism”
Diameter49mm“The watch measures 49mm in diameter”
Serial number5131“numbered 5131”
HallmarkLondon 1879“London Hallmark for 1879”

Visible details

  • Blued steel double spade hands
  • Subsidiary seconds dial at the 6 o'clock position
  • Blue Roman numeral chapter ring on the front cover

Research qualifications

  • The listing is supplementary evidence and does not provide authentication.
  • Details apply only to this specific example; other examples of this type may vary.

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

Consulted source

J.W. Benson 18k gold keyless half hunter pocket watch, 1879

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 2dab77fb42

Terms in this record

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

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