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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch

J.W. Benson Open-Face Pocket Watch

Partially verified

This English open-face pocket watch by J.W. Benson is presented in a gold-filled Dennison 'Moon' case, manufactured in Birmingham. The timepiece features a white enamel dial with black Arabic numerals, an outer minute track, and a subsidiary seconds dial located at the six o'clock position. The hands are gold-toned and spade-patterned. Power is supplied by a fifteen-jewel stem-winding movement, which the source describes as an in-house mechanism. The watch is accompanied by a thirteen-inch gold-filled vintage bank-style chain. The overall design and construction align with standard pocket-carried timepieces from the early twentieth century. The auction description notes the movement is in good working order and the enamel dial is in excellent condition, with a minor 3mm dent on the bezel near the seven o'clock hour marker.

Front view of the J.W. Benson open-face pocket watch with gold-filled chain.
Front view of the J.W. Benson open-face pocket watch with gold-filled chain. — Zamanito. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
zamanito.com
Category
Pocket watch · Open-face pocket watch
Maker / attribution
J.W. Benson
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1930
Source-reported place
United Kingdom

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

The watch is housed in an open-face Dennison 'Moon' model case, produced in Birmingham, England. The exterior is gold-filled, featuring a smooth, polished finish. A 3mm dent is reported on the bezel near the seven o'clock position.

The white enamel dial displays black Arabic hour numerals and a consistent minute track along the outer periphery. Gold-toned spade-style hands and a dedicated subsidiary seconds dial at the six o'clock position are integrated into the face. The J.W. Benson London signature is prominently displayed on the dial.

Evidence for this section
  • “بدنه این ساعت با روکش طلا پوشانده شده”
  • “قاب ساعت، مدل Moon ساخت کمپانی شناخته‌شده دنیسون در بیرمنگام انگلستان بوده”
  • “صفحه ساعت از جنس مینای سفید بوده و امضای سازنده روی آن به چشم می‌خورد”

Movement

The timepiece utilizes a stem-winding mechanical movement equipped with fifteen jewels. According to the source, the movement is a proprietary mechanism developed by J.W. Benson. The internal plates are marked with the manufacturer's name and indicate Swiss origin for the components.

Technical service history is not provided by the source, though the movement is described as currently being in excellent working condition.

Evidence for this section
  • “موتور دستگاه مجهز به سیستم کوک با دسته (استم) و دارای ۱۵ سنگ جواهر است که توسط منبع به عنوان مکانیزم اختصاصی درونساز سازنده معرفی شده است”
  • “ساعت در وضعیت کارکرد بسیار عالی توصیف شده”

Provenance and Accessories

J.W. Benson was an established London-based watchmaker and jeweler during the Victorian era, holding records of service to the British royal family. Their production relied on partnerships with high-quality case manufacturers like Dennison to supply watches for domestic and international markets.

The watch is accompanied by a thirteen-inch vintage gold-filled bank chain. The ensemble reflects the standard aesthetic and functional conventions for English pocket watches of the early twentieth century, with a production date estimated around 1930.

Evidence for this section
  • “برند J.W. Benson از نام‌های معتبر ساعت‌سازی و جواهرفروشی در لندن دوران ویکتوریا به شمار می‌رفت”
  • “همچنین یک زنجیر وینتیج موسوم به زنجیر بانکی با روکش طلا و طول ۱۳ اینچ ساعت را همراهی می‌کند”

Open research questions

  • Verification of the specific J.W. Benson movement caliber used in the Moon case
  • Determination of the exact year of production through Dennison case hallmarks

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for J.W. Benson Open-Face Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerJ.W. Benson“J.W. Benson”
CountryEngland“انگلستان”
Case typeDennison Moon“مدل Moon ساخت کمپانی شناخته‌شده دنیسون”
Movement15 jewels, stem wound“مجهز به سیستم کوک با دسته (استم) و دارای ۱۵ سنگ جواهر”
Case diameter46mm“قطر قاب آن ۴۶ میلی‌متر”
Date estimateCirca 1930“حدود سال ۱۹۳۰”
Dial materialWhite enamel“جنس مینای سفید”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with J.W. Benson London signature
  • Fifteen-jewel movement stamped J.W. Benson and Swiss Made
  • Spade-style hands and sub-seconds indicator
  • Gold-filled chain with patterned rectangular links

Research qualifications

  • Exactness of the circa 1930 production date
  • Confirmation of internal mechanism's in-house status versus externally sourced blank

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

Consulted source

ساعت جیبی J.W. Benson مدل اوپن‌فیس با قاب Dennison و زنجیر

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 9f8ebdfdc9

Terms in this record

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

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