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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watches · Case

Half-Hunter (Demi-Hunter) Watches

Verified

Hunter-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.

Mechanism

Case engineering only: a window and secondary numeral ring are added to an otherwise standard hunter lid.

Typical characteristics

  • Small enamel or metal chapter ring set into the lid
  • Aperture aligned with the hour hand
  • Full hunter opening mechanism retained

Identification characteristics

  • Small glazed window and numerals on the closed lid
  • Distinguish from a full hunter by the absence of a complete solid lid

Collector significance

A minor but distinctive case variant valued by collectors of case forms.

Known variations

  • Half-hunter
  • Double half-hunter (front and back apertures)

Related photographs

Vintage Elgin National Watch Co. Pocket Watch with Hunter Case and Gold Chain, Circa 1901 (9901604614)
Vintage Elgin National Watch Co. Pocket Watch with Hunter Case and Gold Chain, Circa 1901 (9901604614) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage Elgin National Watch Co. Pocket Watch, Hunter Case with Chain, Circa 1901 (9901583265)
Vintage Elgin National Watch Co. Pocket Watch, Hunter Case with Chain, Circa 1901 (9901583265) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage New York Standard Watch Co. Pocket Watch, Hunter Case (9208648548)
Vintage New York Standard Watch Co. Pocket Watch, Hunter Case (9208648548) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. 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. Cutmore, M., Watches 1850-1980

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