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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

John Chance Chepstow Pocket Watch

Partially verified

The John Chance Chepstow Pocket Watch, dated to 1775, is a silver-cased timepiece of the "onion watch" variety. The watch features a manual wind movement equipped with a verge and conoid escapement, both of which are reported to be signed and numbered. The exterior case is embossed with a biblical scene and carries the maker's signature and stamp. It retains its original dial and hands. With a recorded weight of 109.93 grams, the watch measures 55mm in diameter and 24mm in thickness. Although the source text includes references to "Early Victorian" style, the object is attributed to 1775. The piece is described as a manually wound watch and is currently held in an out-of-stock inventory status at the Watch Museum. The item presents as a silver-cased pocket watch with historical, albeit heterogeneous, stylistic descriptors.

Front view of the John Chance silver onion pocket watch with winding key.
Front view of the John Chance silver onion pocket watch with winding key. — Watch Museum. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
watchmuseum.org
Category
Pocket watch · Pocket watch
Maker / attribution
John Chance
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
1775
Source-reported place
England

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 pocket watch is housed in a round silver case that features embossed detailing. The exterior decoration includes a biblical scene, which the source notes also incorporates the maker's signature and stamp. The case measures 55mm in diameter and 24mm in thickness, with an overall weight recorded at 109.93 grams.

The dial is original to the piece and is accompanied by its original set of hands. The configuration uses Roman numerals for the primary time indication, supplemented by Arabic numerals marking the minutes in the outer periphery. The watch is presented as an example of the 'onion watch' type.

Evidence for this section
  • “The outside case is beautifully embossed with a depiction of a biblical scene and bears the maker's signature and stamp.”
  • “The original dial and hands are completely intact”

Movement and Escapement

The watch operates via a manual wind movement. Internally, the mechanism features a verge and conoid escapement. The source indicates that the movement is signed and numbered, though the specific numeric identifier is not disclosed in the provided text.

The source reports that the movement has been maintained, though it does not detail specific restorative interventions or date of service.

Evidence for this section
  • “Inside, the watch houses a meticulously maintained movement with a verge and conoid escapement, both signed and numbered”
  • “Inside, you'll find a perfectly working movement with a verge and conoid escapement, which is also signed and numbered.”

Attribution and Identification

The watch is attributed to the maker John Chance and is associated with the location of Chepstow. While the specific production year is identified as 1775, the source inconsistently classifies the object's style as 'Early Victorian', a period that post-dates the stated manufacture year by several decades.

The object is documented in the inventory of the Watch Museum as an out-of-stock item. The source emphasizes its rarity and state of preservation, describing it as an example of 18th-century English watchmaking.

Evidence for this section
  • “John Chance Chepstow Pocket Watch - 1775”
  • “Style: Early Victorian”
  • “John Chance Chepstow Pocket Watch, a remarkable artifact from 1775”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific movement serial number alluded to in the description?
  • How does the 'Early Victorian' style attribution correlate with the 1775 manufacture date?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for John Chance Chepstow Pocket Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerJohn Chance“Creator: John Chance”
Date1775“Date of Manufacture: 1775”
CountryEngland“Place of Origin: England”
MaterialSilver“Case Material: Silver”
Weight109.93 grams“Weighing 109.93 grams”
Diameter55 mm“55mm in diameter”
Thickness24 mm“24mm in thickness”
EscapementVerge and conoid“movement with a verge and conoid escapement”

Visible details

  • Round silver case embossed with a biblical scene
  • White dial with black Roman numerals and outer Arabic numeral minutes
  • Includes a metallic winding key
  • Manual wind movement visible inside

Research qualifications

  • The description labels the object as 'Early Victorian' style despite a 1775 manufacture date
  • The exact serial number is not provided despite claims the movement is numbered

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

Consulted source

John Chance Chepstow Pocket Watch - 1775

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 09d05b6c32

Terms in this record

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

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