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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Watch with a Lady and a Priest

Partially verified

This pocket watch, held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, under accession number BK-NM-12859, is constructed from gold and features a white enamelled dial. The piece is dated to approximately 1750. A primary feature of the watch is the decoration on its back cover, which displays a polychrome enamel scene depicting a lady and a priest. Measuring 4.2 cm in diameter, the watch is classified within the museum's records under the categories of wrist watch and jewellery, though it appears physically as a standard pocket-form timepiece. The object's current documentation relies on the museum's existing registration, and further research is required to determine maker attribution or specific horological specifications beyond these documented physical parameters.

Front view of the gold watch showing the white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals.
Front view of the gold watch showing the white enamel dial with Roman and Arabic numerals. — 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-12859
Source-reported date
c. 1750
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 Design

The object is a pocket watch with a casing manufactured from gold. The back cover of the case serves as a medium for decorative artistic expression, featuring an application of multicoloured enamel. The enamel work portrays a figurative scene containing a lady and a priest, representing a specific visual motif for this object. The case measures 4.2 cm in diameter, a dimension consistent with standard mid-eighteenth-century pocket-form timepieces.

The gold material provides the primary structural housing for the watch's internal mechanisms, while the enamel surface on the reverse serves as the primary visual interest point for the exterior of the object.

Evidence for this section
  • “gold (metal)”
  • “On the back cover in multicoloured enamel a depiction of a lady and a priest.”
  • “diameter 4.2 cm.”

Dial and Timekeeping

The dial layout includes Roman numerals to indicate the twelve-hour cycle. Additionally, Arabic numerals are positioned at five-minute intervals around the perimeter, facilitating more precise reading of the time.

The dial remains clear and consistent with traditional designs for the period.

Evidence for this section
  • “white enamelled dial.”

Documentation and Classification

The object is officially registered with the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, under the identifier BK-NM-12859. The museum classifies the piece within the categories of wrist watch and jewellery, a classification that describes its inclusion in their wider collection of precious objects. The museum's original Dutch catalogue title for the object is 'Horloge met een dame en een priester'.

There are no verified catalogue numbers or maker marks listed in the source, as these details have not been independently transcribed from a standard horological reference. Consequently, the object's attribution remains tied to the museum's existing documentation. Further research into the maker's identity and the mechanical specifications of the movement is necessary to provide a complete horological assessment of the piece.

Evidence for this section
  • “The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-12859”
  • “Horloge met een dame en een priester”
  • “Museum classification wrist watch · jewellery”

Open research questions

  • Does the museum's classification as a 'wrist watch' refer to a specific later modification or a descriptive error?
  • Can the maker or the workshop responsible for the enamel work be identified through comparison with other 1750s enamel-back watches?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Watch with a Lady and a Priest
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Materialgold (metal)“gold (metal)”
Measurements4.2 cm diameter“diameter 4.2 cm”
Datingc. 1750“c. 1750”
Museum NumberBK-NM-12859“BK-NM-12859”
Decorationmulticoloured enamel“multicoloured enamel”
InstitutionRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, holds this object as BK-NM-12859”

Visible details

  • White enamel dial with Roman numerals for hours
  • Arabic numerals for five-minute intervals
  • Polychrome enamel scene on case back
  • Gold case construction

Research qualifications

  • The museum classifies the object as a 'wrist watch' which may conflict with its physical appearance as a pocket-form watch.
  • Maker attribution is not provided by the museum source.

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

Consulted source

Watch with a Lady and a Priest

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record 2201cef03f

Terms in this record

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

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