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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Watch of gold

Partially verified

This gold watch is held by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, under accession number BK-NM-12870. The timepiece is dated by the institution to the period between 1800 and 1850. Constructed from gold and decorated with pearls, the watch features an engraved and hatched dial. A notable aesthetic feature is the border of pearls applied along both the front and back covers. The watch measures 3.9 cm in diameter, with a height of 5.2 cm inclusive of the pendant, and a depth of 1.3 cm. While the museum classification categorizes the item as both jewellery and a watch, its mechanical details and internal components remain undocumented in the provided source. This object serves as an example of nineteenth-century decorative horology preserved within a public collection, though its specific maker and internal horological specifications have not been publicly attributed or confirmed by the holding institution.

Gold pocket watch with pearl border and engraved dial, accession number BK-NM-12870.
Gold pocket watch with pearl border and engraved dial, accession number BK-NM-12870. — 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-12870
Source-reported date
c. 1800 - c. 1850
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 Construction

The design incorporates a deliberate decorative program, specifically the inclusion of a border of pearls surrounding both the front and back covers. This ornamentation suggests an aesthetic focus, aligning the object with the jewellery classification assigned by the Rijksmuseum.

The dial itself is executed with attention to surface finish, featuring a pattern described as engraved and hatched. The numerals are presented in a Roman format, etched or applied onto the central field. The physical scale of the object is relatively compact, with a recorded diameter of 3.9 cm and a total height, including the bow and pendant, of 5.2 cm, maintaining a profile depth of 1.3 cm.

Evidence for this section
  • “Gold watch with an engraved and hatched dial.”
  • “Along the front and back covers a border of pearls.”
  • “diameter 3.9 cm x height 5.2 cm x width 3.9 cm x depth 1.3 cm”

Institutional Documentation

The object is maintained as a documented piece in the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam. It is officially catalogued under the reference number BK-NM-12870. The museum records provide standardized technical measurements and material analysis for the item, though the source note acknowledges that this description originates from translated catalogue text.

The current data provided by the museum focuses on the external physical characteristics and general dating. No specific horological maker or technical internal features have been confirmed or transcribed as part of this collection record.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-12870”
  • “Museum classification jewellery · wrist watch”
  • “Description translated from the museum's Dutch catalogue text”

Dating and Classification

The temporal scope attributed to this watch is circa 1800 to 1850. This date range is provided by the Rijksmuseum and covers the first half of the nineteenth century. The broad dating reflects the lack of specific hallmarks or maker signatures identified within the available institutional documentation.

Researchers are advised that the object is recorded as a single museum specimen, and comparisons to wider horological types are required for further classification. The current record avoids specific attribution to a workshop or geographic center of production, maintaining the focus on the existing catalogue entry provided by the museum archives.

Evidence for this section
  • “c. 1800 - c. 1850”
  • “this record describes a single museum object; confirm the wider type, maker attribution and specifications against horological references.”

Open research questions

  • Can stylistic analysis of the engraving and pearl setting identify a potential region or workshop of origin?
  • Does the internal movement contain hallmarks that would allow for a more precise dating beyond the 1800-1850 window?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Watch of gold
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Holding InstitutionRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-12870”
Object NumberBK-NM-12870“BK-NM-12870”
MaterialGold and pearl“material recorded as pearl, gold (metal)”
Diameter3.9 cm“diameter 3.9 cm”
Height5.2 cm“height 5.2 cm”
Depth1.3 cm“depth 1.3 cm”
Dial DecorationEngraved and hatched“engraved and hatched dial”
DecorationPearl borders“Along the front and back covers a border of pearls.”

Visible details

  • Front and back covers bordered with pearls
  • Dial features engraved and hatched surface texture
  • Roman numeral indices for hours
  • Suspension ring attached to a rounded pendant

Research qualifications

  • The maker is currently unattributed in the museum records
  • Internal movement mechanisms and escapement details are not documented

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

Consulted source

Watch of gold, c. 1800 - c. 1850 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, BK-NM-12870)

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 760c374494

Terms in this record

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

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