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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pair case verge pocket watch

Thomas Tompion gilt metal pair case verge pocket watch

Partially verified

This English pair case verge pocket watch, attributed to Thomas Tompion, dates to approximately 1685. Measuring 55mm in diameter, the watch features a gilt fusee and chain movement utilizing a verge escapement and an early balance spring. The movement includes Egyptian-style pillars and a pierced, chased balance cock that extends to the edge of the top plate. The silver champlevé dial displays a Roman numeral hour chapter, diamond-shaped half-hour markers, and an outer ring marked with Arabic numerals for five-minute increments. The time is indicated by blued steel beetle and poker hands. The inner case is constructed from gold-plated metal, complemented by a protective outer case finished with tortoiseshell and pique ornamentation. The movement plate and dial bear the maker's signature, and the piece is marked with the number 311, although historical interpretation suggests the possibility of the number being 811.

Thomas Tompion gilt metal pair case verge pocket watch, circa 1685.
Thomas Tompion gilt metal pair case verge pocket watch, circa 1685. — Auction house “Roseberys”, via Invaluable. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Pair case verge pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Thomas Tompion
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
Source URL identifies the listing
Source-reported date
circa 1685
Source-reported place
United Kingdom
Source-reported serial
311

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

Movement and Technical Construction

The timepiece is powered by a gilt fusee and chain movement, a standard configuration for late 17th-century English horology. It employs a verge escapement paired with an early form of the balance spring. This mechanical arrangement represents the technology available at the time of manufacture.

Structural details of the movement include Egyptian-style pillars that support the plates. The balance cock is both pierced and chased, featuring a design where the foot extends to the edge of the top plate. Both the internal movement plate and the dial are signed by Thomas Tompion.

Evidence for this section
  • “The watch features a gilt fusee and chain movement equipped with an early balance spring and a verge escapement.”
  • “The movement is distinguished by its pierced and chased balance cock with a foot extending to the edge of the top plate, along with Egyptian-style pillars.”
  • “Both the dial and the internal movement plate are signed by the maker.”

Case and Dial Design

The watch is housed in a pair case configuration. The inner case is gold-plated, serving as the primary housing for the mechanical movement. The outer case is a secondary protective element finished with tortoiseshell and pique decoration.

The dial is manufactured from silver champlevé. It features a distinct Roman numeral hour chapter, accented by diamond-shaped half-hour markers. An outer ring provides divisions for five-minute intervals in Arabic numerals. The time is read using a set of blued steel hands in the beetle and poker style.

Evidence for this section
  • “The inner case is gold-plated, while the later outer protective case is finished with tortoiseshell and pique decoration.”
  • “The dial is made of silver champlevé, featuring an engraved Roman numeral hour chapter, diamond half-hour markers, and an outer ring for five-minute Arabic numeral divisions.”
  • “It is fitted with blued steel beetle and poker hands.”

Identification and Marking

The piece is attributed to Thomas Tompion of London. The watch carries a numerical marking on its components, identified in the source as 311. However, the record notes that historical inquiry has raised the possibility of the marking being 811.

The physical dimensions of the watch are recorded as 55mm in diameter. The overall object is described as a late 17th-century production, consistent with the identified era of Tompion's active workshop period in London.

Evidence for this section
  • “This is a 17th-century English pair case verge pocket watch by the renowned maker Thomas Tompion, London, dating to approximately 1685.”
  • “The watch has a diameter of 55mm.”
  • “The watch is marked with the number 311, though historical research suggests a potential serial number interpretation of 811.”

Open research questions

  • What is the correct interpretation of the stamped serial number: 311 or 811?
  • Is there evidence to confirm if the tortoiseshell outer case is contemporary to the watch or a replacement?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Thomas Tompion gilt metal pair case verge pocket watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerThomas Tompion“Thomas Tompion, London”
Datecirca 1685“c. 1685”
Diameter55mm“The watch has a diameter of 55mm.”
MovementGilt fusee and chain“The watch features a gilt fusee and chain movement”
Dial MaterialSilver“The dial is made of silver champlevé”
Serial Number311 or 811“The watch is marked with the number 311, though historical research suggests a potential serial number interpretation of 811.”
Outer CaseTortoiseshell and pique“the later outer protective case is finished with tortoiseshell and pique decoration.”

Visible details

  • Silver champlevé dial with Roman numerals
  • Outer case with tortoiseshell and pique decoration
  • Blued steel beetle and poker hands
  • Gilt metal pendant and bow

Research qualifications

  • Ambiguity regarding whether the serial number is 311 or 811
  • The outer case is described as a later protective addition

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

Consulted source

Thomas Tompion gilt metal pair case verge pocket watch, c. 1685

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 5ba75d55d0

Terms in this record

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

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