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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Pocket watch

Watch with Palmette

Partially verified

The "Watch with Palmette" (Horloge met palmet), catalogued under museum number BK-15042, is a timepiece held within the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Dating from circa 1820 to 1840, the object is constructed from gold and features intricate enamel work. Its physical composition integrates the functional mechanism of a watch with decorative elements, notably a palmette design surrounded by stiff floral scrolls on the back cover. Despite being classified within museum records under the categories of both jewelry and wrist watch, the item appears as a traditional pocket-style watch in the provided documentation. No maker, place of origin, or specific inscriptions have been identified for this piece. The source notes that the catalogue details are derived from museum records, with the wider horological classification requiring further independent verification.

Front view of the gold watch showing the dial, enamel-detailed case border, and suspension bow.
Front view of the gold watch showing the dial, enamel-detailed case border, and suspension bow. — 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-15042
Source-reported date
c. 1820 - c. 1840
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

Physical Construction and Design

The watch is crafted from gold and incorporates enamelling as a primary decorative element. The back cover is described as featuring a palmette motif arranged alongside stiff floral scrolls.

The dial face includes a central textured or engine-turned field, bordered by a chapter ring displaying standard Roman numerals. A singular, blued steel hand is present at the center. The watch is suspended by a gold bow and pendant mechanism, which also shows evidence of patterned enamelling.

Evidence for this section
  • “The piece consists of a watch featuring an enamelled back cover. Its visual design includes a palmette positioned with stiff floral scrolls across the back.”
  • “The watch is recorded as being made of gold (metal) with enamelling. It has a documented dimension of 4.4 cm in diameter.”

Documentation and Identification

The object is indexed in the Rijksmuseum collection under the reference number BK-15042. Current catalogue entries for this item do not provide information regarding a specific maker, place of manufacture, or historical provenance.

The museum records classify the object under the headings of both jewelry and wrist watch. The documentation notes that these details are translated from the museum's own Dutch catalogue text, and the accuracy of these classifications relative to standard horological definitions has not been independently verified.

Evidence for this section
  • “The piece is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam under the museum object number BK-15042.”
  • “The catalogue records no place of creation, maker, or issuing entity.”
  • “The "Watch with Palmette," titled in Dutch as "Horloge met palmet," is an object categorized under museum classifications as both jewellery and a wrist watch.”

Condition and Markings

There are no known inscriptions, legends, or maker signatures associated with the watch. The absence of text markings makes it difficult to establish a production history or identify the original workshop.

The watch is considered an individual type, with the source noting that its position within a wider horological category is a subject for further research. No secondary catalogue numbers or provenance details beyond the current accession record are available.

Evidence for this section
  • “There are no inscriptions, legends, or text markings recorded for this object in the catalogue entry.”
  • “Research required: this record describes a single museum object; confirm the wider type, maker attribution and specifications against horological references.”

Open research questions

  • Does the presence of a single hand and lack of subsidiary dials suggest a specific type of simplified or decorative watch movement?
  • Can the floral enamel and palmette design be compared to identified workshops active in the Netherlands or elsewhere between 1820 and 1840?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for Watch with Palmette
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Materialgold (metal) with enamelling“made of gold (metal) with enamelling”
Diameter4.4 cm“4.4 cm in diameter”
Accession NumberBK-15042“museum object number BK-15042”
Datingc. 1820 - c. 1840“circa 1820 to circa 1840”
InscriptionsNone“There are no inscriptions, legends, or text markings recorded for this object”
Holding InstitutionRijksmuseum, Amsterdam“held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam”

Visible details

  • Enamelled decorative border featuring floral scroll motifs surrounding the dial edge
  • Engine-turned or textured central dial surface with Roman numeral hour markers

Research qualifications

  • The museum records classify the object as both a wrist watch and jewelry, despite its physical appearance as a pendant-style pocket watch.
  • No maker or place of origin has been formally established for this object.

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

Consulted source

Watch with Palmette

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record d424e6112e

Terms in this record

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

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