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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Quarter repeating pocket watch

William Webster Quarter Repeater Watch

Partially verified

This quarter-repeating pocket watch is identified by The Metropolitan Museum of Art as being the work of British watchmaker William Webster, who was a member of the Clockmakers' Company between 1710 and 1734 and died in 1735. The object is dated to approximately 1770. Constructed from gold, shagreen, and enamel, the watch measures 2-3/8 inches (6 cm) in diameter. It features a repeating mechanism designed to strike the quarters. The external case is covered in shagreen, while the inner case or components show extensive engraved decoration. The dial displays Roman numerals for the hour markers and utilizes distinctively shaped blued steel hands. As an item within the museum's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, it is catalogued under the accession number 17.190.1464a, b.

A rear view of the William Webster quarter repeater watch showing the gold case back with engraved decoration and accession number.
A rear view of the William Webster quarter repeater watch showing the gold case back with engraved decoration and accession number. — The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
orbiscollectibles.com
Category
Pocket watch · Quarter repeating pocket watch
Maker / attribution
William Webster
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
17.190.1464a, b
Source-reported date
ca. 1770
Source-reported place
British

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 Exterior

The watch is encased in a round gold housing, which is protected by a shagreen-covered outer case. The outer case includes a gold pendant and bow arrangement for suspension.

The internal gold case back exhibits intricate, openwork scroll engravings. These engravings surround a central aperture intended for access to the internal mechanism or key winding. A museum accession number is painted or inscribed directly onto the internal gold cover, identifying the object within the institution's inventory.

Evidence for this section
  • “The museum records its materials as: Gold, shagreen, enamel.”
  • “The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this object as 17.190.1464a, b”

Dial and Hands

The watch features a white enamel dial, which provides a clear background for the black Roman numeral hour markers. The chapter ring is finished with simple index markers for the minutes, arranged around the periphery of the dial.

The time is indicated by a pair of blued steel hands. The hour hand is shaped with a pierced, ornate flourish near the tip, while the minute hand features a similarly decorative, elongated style. The hands contrast against the white enamel finish of the dial.

Evidence for this section
  • “The museum records its materials as: Gold, shagreen, enamel.”

Attribution and Provenance

The watch is attributed to William Webster, a London watchmaker. Historical records note his association with the Clockmakers' Company between 1710 and 1734, with a recorded date of death in 1735. The current dating of the watch to circa 1770 suggests it may have been produced after the maker's active career, necessitating further research.

The object was acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art as a gift from J. Pierpont Morgan in 1917. It is currently maintained within the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department. Documentation provided by the museum classifies the watch as a quarter repeater.

Evidence for this section
  • “Watchmaker: William Webster (British, Clockmakers' Company 1710–34, died 1735)”
  • “Photograph credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917”

Open research questions

  • Does the production date of ca. 1770 indicate a posthumous watch or potential misattribution to William Webster?
  • What specific repeating sequence does the movement perform to confirm its quarter-repeating designation?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for William Webster Quarter Repeater Watch
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
MakerWilliam Webster“Watchmaker: William Webster (British, Clockmakers' Company 1710–34, died 1735)”
Dateca. 1770“ca. 1770”
Dimensions2-3/8 in. (6 cm)“Diam.: 2-3/8 in. (6 cm)”
MaterialsGold, shagreen, enamel“Gold, shagreen, enamel”
Accession Number17.190.1464a, b“17.190.1464a, b”
InstitutionThe Metropolitan Museum of Art“The Metropolitan Museum of Art”

Visible details

  • External case covered in green shagreen material
  • Engraved gold scrollwork visible on the internal movement cover
  • White enamel dial with Roman numerals
  • Blued steel hands present on the dial

Research qualifications

  • The dating to ca. 1770 post-dates the maker's death in 1735
  • The specific horological mechanism has not been independently verified beyond the museum's label

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

Consulted source

Quarter repeater watch

Reviewed 2026-11-02 · Record e4278f4c30

Terms in this record

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

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