This is a silver pair cased watch with a wonderful repeating movement by one of the great English watchmakers.

MOVEMENT : Gilded verge fusee movement, with engraved and pierced balance cock, and large diamond endstone. Signed and numbered (7602). The movement is complete and in excellent and original condition. The watch keeps good time and the repeating mechanism works perfectly, striking one bell for the hours and two for the quarters.

DIAL : Possibly a later cream coloured enamel dial, 46 mm in diameter. No repairs but some hairlines between 5 and 8 and another across the top from 2 towards the centre. Very nice gold beetle and poker hands.

INNER CASE : Silver, 51.5 mm in diameter. Excellent condition and beautifully engraved. The hinge is fine and the case closes nicely. No makers mark or hallmarks. Good high dome bull’s eye crystal with no damage.

OUTER CASE : Silver, 60.5 mm in diameter. Again the hinge and catch are fine and the case closes nicely. The silver is beautifully engraved and in fine condition. Hallmarked for London 1778, maker SB.

Loomes provides dates for John Ellicott serial numbers, with No. 7620 dated for 1780. So for this watch, the hallmark (1778) and serial number (7602) match up perfectly.