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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watches · Form

Chains, Fobs and Accessories

Partially verified

The guard chains, fobs, seals, watch keys and other accessories carried with a pocket watch, forming a distinct collecting and identification category of their own.

Mechanism

Not mechanical; chains and fobs are wearing and carrying accessories connecting the watch to buttonhole, waistcoat or belt.

Typical characteristics

  • Albert-style guard chains with a T-bar and swivel clasp
  • Watch keys, seals and vinaigrettes suspended from fobs
  • Materials ranging from base metal to solid gold

Identification characteristics

  • Hallmarks on gold and silver chain links, comparable to case hallmarking
  • Wear patterns matching a specific watch's pendant and bow

Collector significance

Original accessory survival adds context and, occasionally, provenance to a watch, though chains and watches are frequently married later.

Known variations

  • Albert chain
  • Fob chain with seal or key
  • Watch guard with slide

Related photographs

Pocket Watch with Ivory Fob
Pocket Watch with Ivory Fob — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain. Wikimedia Commons file page
International Watch Company - early 20th century example of fob watch
International Watch Company - early 20th century example of fob watch — Mstroh, CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons file page

No confidently matched photograph of this subject has been found yet. These photographs show a closely related record, and are not examples of the type described on this page.

Sources & references

  1. General horological and decorative-arts surveys

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.