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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Pocket watch with white enamelled dial

Partially verified

This pocket watch, identified by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, as object BK-NM-10004-A, features a white enamelled dial. The piece is dated to before 1763. It is constructed from copper with gilding, a technique applied to the exterior casing. The watch is presented alongside a winding key. The dial displays Arabic numerals for the minutes and Roman numerals for the hours. A retailer's mark associated with the watch refers to J.C. Göller, an Amsterdam clockmaker located at Nieuwmarkt bij de Bavorde steeg 24. The physical dimensions are recorded as 5.8 cm in diameter, with a total height of 7.9 cm and a depth of 2.7 cm. The object is formally classified within the museum collection as a repetitiehorloge, or repeating watch, alongside other jewellery and horological items. The current documentation remains partial, and further research is required to verify the maker attribution and the broader historical context of the movement's design and assembly.

Pocket watch with white enamelled dial and winding key, BK-NM-10004-A.
Pocket watch with white enamelled dial and winding key, BK-NM-10004-A. — 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-NM-10004-A
Source-reported date
before 1763
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

Case and Dial

The pocket watch is presented with a circular gilded copper case and a matching winding key. The dial is executed in white enamel, featuring a clear graduation of Arabic numerals for minute tracking and Roman numerals for the hours.

The gilding covers the exterior of the copper casing, which serves as the primary structural material for the watch housing.

Evidence for this section
  • “copper (metal), gilding (material)”
  • “diameter 5.8 cm x height 7.9 cm x width 5.7 cm x depth 2.7 cm x length 14 cm”

Signatures and Marks

Documentation associated with the object identifies a retailer's mark, which consists of a case paper naming J.C. Göller. This label specifies his profession as a horlogemaker and provides an address at Nieuwmarkt bij de Bavorde steeg 24 in Amsterdam.

No other specific horological signatures or unique serial numbers are explicitly listed in the source text beyond the museum accession number. The attribution relies on the documentation provided by the Rijksmuseum.

Evidence for this section
  • “Retailer's mark, case paper: ‘J.C. Göller, Horlogemaker, Nieuwmarkt bij de Bavorde steeg 24, Amsterdam.’”

Provenance and Classification

The object is part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, designated by the unique identification number BK-NM-10004-A. The museum classifies the item under the categories of jewellery and pocket watch, while also specifically noting it as a repetitiehorloge.

The date of origin is established as before 1763, providing a terminus ante quem for the piece. Research into the specific horological features and the full history of the object is ongoing, as the current data is described by the source as partial.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-10004-A”
  • “before 1763”

Open research questions

  • Does the movement contain a functioning repeating complication as suggested by the museum classification?
  • What is the full provenance of the piece prior to its entry into the Rijksmuseum collection?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Pocket watch with white enamelled dial
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Holding institutionRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam”
Museum object numberBK-NM-10004-A“BK-NM-10004-A”
MaterialCopper and gilding“copper (metal), gilding (material)”
Datebefore 1763“before 1763”
Dimensions5.8 cm diameter“diameter 5.8 cm x height 7.9 cm x width 5.7 cm x depth 2.7 cm x length 14 cm”
Retailer markJ.C. Göller“‘J.C. Göller, Horlogemaker, Nieuwmarkt bij de Bavorde steeg 24, Amsterdam.’”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals
  • Gilded copper construction
  • Includes a distinct decorative winding key

Research qualifications

  • Maker attribution remains unverified
  • Museum classification notes repeating function, but internal movement details are absent

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

Consulted source

Pocket watch with white enamelled dial, before 1763 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, BK-NM-10004-A)

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 76ed62f8cc

Terms in this record

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

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