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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Repeating pocket watch

Repeating Watch, Rijksmuseum BK-15018

Partially verified

This repeating pocket watch, dated to 1727, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, under accession number BK-15018. The object is constructed entirely from silver, featuring a silver dial and a double openwork case. The exterior of the case is decorated with scroll ornament and medallions depicting bust portraits. While classified in the museum documentation as a wrist watch, its construction as a repeater and general form are consistent with 18th-century pocket horology. The watch has an overall diameter of 5 cm, with its housing case measuring approximately 6 cm. As an institutional holding, the piece remains in the custody of the Rijksmuseum. The technical details regarding the internal repeating mechanism and the identity of the maker are not provided in the source material, and the attribution to 1727 remains the primary temporal reference point for the object's provenance.

View of the silver-cased repeating watch, showing the dial with minute track, Roman hour indices, and the decorative openwork casing.
View of the silver-cased repeating watch, showing the dial with minute track, Roman hour indices, and the decorative openwork casing. — Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Repeating pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Not established
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
BK-15018
Source-reported date
1727
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

Construction and Exterior

The watch is manufactured from silver, extending to both the internal movement housing and the exterior casing. The design is characterized by a double openwork case, a feature that allows for the transmission of sound from the internal repeating mechanism while providing structural protection. The outer surface is embellished with scroll ornaments, interspersed with specific medallions that contain bust portraits.

The dial is also fashioned from silver, maintaining visual cohesion with the case material.

Evidence for this section
  • “made of silver with a silver dial and double openwork case”
  • “On the outer case, medallions with bust portraits among scroll ornament.”

Institutional Provenance and Identification

This timepiece is formally catalogued within the holdings of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is identified by the unique accession number BK-15018, which serves as the primary identifier for tracking the object's maintenance and exhibition history. The institution provides dimensions of 5 cm for the watch itself, with the outer case measuring 6 cm in diameter.

The record is dated to 1727. The documentation provided by the museum acts as the primary authority for the object's physical identity. There is currently no recorded maker associated with the item, nor are there specific marks mentioned that would indicate a workshop or regional origin.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-15018”
  • “measurements diameter 5 cm”

Functional Classification

The object is documented as a repeating watch, a technical type capable of striking the time upon activation by the user.

While the Rijksmuseum’s classification system includes the label 'wrist watch,' this terminology is a standard museum indexing term.

Evidence for this section
  • “Men's watch, repeating watch”

Open research questions

  • Does the repeating mechanism utilize a rack-and-snail system typical of the early 18th century?
  • Are there any maker's marks or hallmarks hidden on the inner case plates or movement bridge?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Repeating Watch, Rijksmuseum BK-15018
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Museum Object NumberBK-15018“BK-15018”
MaterialSilver“made of silver with a silver dial”
Watch Diameter5 cm“diameter 5 cm”
Case Diameter6 cm“kast: diameter 6 cm”
DecorationMedallions with bust portraits and scrollwork“On the outer case, medallions with bust portraits among scroll ornament.”

Visible details

  • Engraved silver dial with central floral or scrollwork design.
  • Arabic numeral outer minute track and Roman numeral hour markers.
  • Intricate openwork casing pattern visible along the periphery.
  • Single central hand visible in the archival photograph.

Research qualifications

  • Museum classification as a 'wrist watch' may be a legacy category label that requires physical verification against period standards.
  • Maker and specific regional provenance remain unidentified based on the provided source.

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

Consulted source

Men's Watch, 1727

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record e747d56a7f

Terms in this record

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

Other repeating pocket watch records