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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Silver watch with Adam and Eve dial

Partially verified

This silver watch, currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, is dated to 1785. The object is a silver watch housed within a separate, plain outer case. The primary visual feature is its white enamelled dial, which serves as a canvas for a central enamel painting depicting the biblical scene of Adam and Eve beside the tree. The assembly measures 4.5 cm in diameter for the watch movement and housing, with an overall height of 6.4 cm and a width of 5.1 cm. The object is catalogued by the museum as BK-15070. While the physical materials and basic dimensions are documented by the institution, specific information regarding the movement manufacturer or precise horological specifications remains unverified in the provided documentation, necessitating further research to determine the origin of the mechanism and its full technical properties.

Front view of the silver watch showing the Adam and Eve enamel dial.
Front view of the silver watch showing the Adam and Eve enamel dial. — 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-15070
Source-reported date
1785
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 External Construction

The object consists of a watch housed in a separate, plain protective case. The materials for both the watch housing and the exterior casing are identified as silver.

The outer case is described as plain, providing a contrast to the highly detailed decorative dial visible on the watch itself. The combined height of the entire object reaches 6.4 cm, with a width of 5.1 cm, while the watch component itself maintains a diameter of 4.5 cm.

Evidence for this section
  • “Silver watch in a separate, plain case.”
  • “geheel: hoogte 6,4 cm x breedte 5,1 cm x diepte 2,6 cm”
  • “diameter 4.5 cm”

Dial and Decoration

The dial is composed of white enamel, providing a smooth, durable surface for the central artwork. Occupying the central portion of the dial is an enamel painting that illustrates the figures of Adam and Eve, positioned beneath a tree. This scene is rendered in polychrome enamels, creating a detailed miniature composition.

The hour display features traditional black Roman numerals. Encircling the edge of the dial is a secondary track marked with Arabic numerals at five-minute intervals, facilitating more precise time reading. The hands are centrally mounted over the enamel painting, obscuring the trunk of the tree within the scene when resting at the twelve o'clock position.

Evidence for this section
  • “The white enamelled dial is decorated with an enamel painting depicting Adam and Eve.”

Provenance and Identification

This watch is part of the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it is assigned the museum object number BK-15070. The record for this object is translated from the museum's internal Dutch catalogue documentation.

The museum identifies the object within the broad classification of wrist watches and jewellery. While this data is provided by the holding institution, the specific history, maker, or intended market for the watch at the time of its 1785 production remains unconfirmed by the current source.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-15070”
  • “Museum classification”
  • “wrist watch · jewellery”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific maker or origin of the watch movement housed within the BK-15070 silver case?
  • What specific horological movement type (e.g., verge escapement) is contained within this 1785 case?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Silver watch with Adam and Eve dial
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Materialsilver (metal)“silver (metal)”
Object numberBK-15070“BK-15070”
Overall height6.4 cm“hoogte 6,4 cm”
Dial diameter4.5 cm“diameter 4.5 cm”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with central miniature enamel painting
  • Plain, unadorned outer protective case
  • Roman numeral hour markers with Arabic numeral minute track
  • Oval-shaped pendant bow at the top

Research qualifications

  • Maker attribution is not specified in the documentation
  • The classification as a 'wrist watch' by the museum is noted in the record, though this may reflect internal museum indexing rather than original function

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

Consulted source

Watch, 1785

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 96a7ebdb1c

Terms in this record

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

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