Flagship specialty
Pocket Watch Encyclopedia
Pocket watches are the central specialty of this archive. Each type entry records its definition, historical period, typical characteristics, mechanism, geographic origins, identification features and collector significance — and links to the movements, makers and mechanisms it depends on.
Database
Browse pocket watch types
Escapement · c. 1500 – c. 1860Verge WatchesWatches regulated by a verge (crown-wheel) escapement, in which a vertical staff carrying two pallets engages a horizontally mounted crown wheel.3 recorded variations
Escapement · c. 1725 – c. 1930Cylinder WatchesWatches using the cylinder (horizontal) escapement, in which a hollow cut cylinder on the balance staff receives impulse directly from raised escape-wheel teeth.3 recorded variations
Purpose · c. 1870 – c. 1960Railroad WatchesHigh-grade pocket watches built to railway timekeeping standards, typically requiring lever escapement, 17 or more jewels, adjustment to temperature and positions, and an open-face dial with bold arabic numerals.4 recorded variations
Case · c. 1800 – presentHunter-Case WatchesPocket watches with a hinged metal cover protecting the crystal and dial, sprung open by a push of the crown.3 recorded variations
Winding · c. 1500 – c. 1900Fusee Pocket WatchesWatches in which the mainspring drives a tapered, grooved pulley (the fusee) through a chain or gut line, equalising torque as the spring unwinds.3 recorded variations
Complication · c. 1680 – presentRepeater Pocket WatchesWatches that sound the time on demand, striking hours and subdivisions on a bell or gongs when a slide or pusher is operated.4 recorded variations
Case · c. 1650 – c. 1850Pair-Cased WatchesWatches housed in an inner case carrying the movement and an outer protective case, the pair normally hallmarked separately.3 recorded variations
Purpose · c. 1880 – c. 1950Military Pocket WatchesPocket watches procured to government or service specification, usually plain, robust and marked with issue numbers or broad arrows.3 recorded variations
Winding · c. 1500 - c. 1880Key-Wind, Key-Set WatchesWatches wound and hand-set by inserting a separate key into a square arbor accessed through the case back or a hole in the crystal/dial.3 recorded variationsWinding · c. 1840s onwardKeyless (Stem-Wind, Stem-Set) WatchesWatches wound and set through the crown and stem rather than a separate key, using a keyless works of clutch, winding pinion and setting mechanism.4 recorded variationsEscapement · c. 1770s - presentLever-Escapement Pocket WatchesPocket watches regulated by a detached lever escapement, the design that eventually displaced verge, cylinder and duplex work almost entirely.3 recorded variationsEscapement · 1867 - c. 1970sPin-Lever (Roskopf) WatchesInexpensive watches using a simplified lever escapement with steel pins rather than jewelled pallet stones, associated with Georges-Frederic Roskopf's low-cost design.2 recorded variationsEscapement · Late 18th century - c. 1900Duplex-Escapement WatchesWatches using the duplex escapement, which delivers impulse to the balance only once every two vibrations from a double-toothed escape wheel.3 recorded variationsEscapement · Late 18th century - presentPocket ChronometersHigh-precision pocket watches fitted with a detent (chronometer) escapement, built to marine or observatory rating standards.3 recorded variationsComplication · Late 17th century - presentQuarter Repeater WatchesRepeating watches that sound the hours and the nearest preceding quarter-hour on demand, the simplest and most common form of striking pocket watch.2 recorded variationsComplication · Late 18th century - presentMinute Repeater WatchesRepeating watches capable of striking hours, quarters and individual minutes elapsed since the last quarter, the most demanding classical striking complication.3 recorded variationsComplication · 16th century onwardAlarm Pocket WatchesWatches fitted with a striking mechanism triggered automatically at a pre-set time rather than on demand, sounding a bell or gong.3 recorded variationsComplication · 17th century onwardCalendar Pocket WatchesWatches displaying the date, and often the day and month, in addition to the time, ranging from simple date apertures to full perpetual calendars.4 recorded variations
Complication · Early-to-mid 19th century onwardChronograph Pocket WatchesWatches with an independent stopwatch function layered onto the timekeeping movement, allowing elapsed time to be started, stopped and reset without affecting the running watch.3 recorded variationsComplication · 19th century onwardSplit-Seconds (Rattrapante) Pocket WatchesChronograph watches with two superimposed elapsed-time hands that can be stopped independently, allowing intermediate ('split') times to be read while the timing continues.2 recorded variationsComplication · 18th century onwardMoon-Phase Pocket WatchesWatches displaying the current phase of the moon, typically through a rotating disc visible in a dial aperture.2 recorded variationsForm · 18th century onwardSkeletonised Pocket WatchesWatches whose plates and bridges are cut away and often engraved so that the working train is visible through the dial and/or back.2 recorded variations
Case · 18th century - presentOpen-Face WatchesPocket watches with no hinged cover over the dial, protected only by the bezel and crystal, typically wound and set at 12 o'clock relative to the dial.3 recorded variationsCase · 19th century - early 20th centuryHalf-Hunter (Demi-Hunter) WatchesHunter-case watches whose front lid has a glazed aperture and a small chapter ring, allowing the time to be read approximately without opening the case.2 recorded variationsCase · 19th century onwardDouble-Hunter WatchesWatches with hinged lids on both the front and the back of the case, fully enclosing the dial and the movement.2 recorded variationsPurpose · 19th - 20th centuryDress Pocket WatchesSlim, plainly finished pocket watches intended for formal wear rather than for railway or working use.2 recorded variations
Purpose · 19th - 20th centuryPresentation WatchesWatches specially inscribed or cased to commemorate service, retirement, achievement or a personal gift, often railway or company presentations.3 recorded variations
Purpose · 19th century onwardCommemorative WatchesWatches produced or decorated to mark a specific historical event, anniversary or figure, generally through dial, case or movement decoration rather than a special mechanism.2 recorded variations
Form · 16th century onwardPendant WatchesSmall watches designed to be worn suspended from a chain or ribbon around the neck rather than carried in a pocket, common for women before the wristwatch era.3 recorded variations
Form · 19th - early 20th centuryFob WatchesSmall watches carried on a short fob strap or chain, often tucked into a waistcoat or belt fob pocket rather than a full pocket.2 recorded variations
Form · 17th - 19th centuryChatelaine WatchesWatches suspended from a chatelaine, a decorative clasp worn at the waist carrying several chains for a watch and other small implements.2 recorded variationsForm · 18th century onwardCarriage and Travel WatchesLarger, robust portable timepieces intended for travel rather than pocket carriage, sometimes cased for a travelling case or trunk rather than worn.2 recorded variationsCase · 1900s - 1930s primarilyConversion WatchesPocket watch movements re-cased with wire lugs and a strap so they can be worn on the wrist, a common practice during the transition from pocket to wrist wear.2 recorded variationsCase · 16th century - presentPocket Watch DialsThe time-display face of a pocket watch, made in enamel, metal or later plastic, whose material, layout and condition are primary identification and grading criteria.4 recorded variationsCase · 16th century - presentPocket Watch HandsThe hour, minute and (where fitted) seconds indicators of a pocket watch, whose style is a useful, though not conclusive, period and grade indicator.4 recorded variationsForm · 17th century onwardChains, Fobs and AccessoriesThe guard chains, fobs, seals, watch keys and other accessories carried with a pocket watch, forming a distinct collecting and identification category of their own.3 recorded variationsStructure
How a pocket watch record is organised
Object description
- Definition
- Period
- Characteristics
- Mechanism
- Origins
- Makers
Research fields
- Movement & case numbers
- Serial ranges
- Markings and hallmarks
- Known variations
- Known examples
Editorial apparatus
- Editorial status
- Sources & bibliography
- Cross-references
- Revision notes