MOVEMENT : Gilt verge movement, with engraved and pierced balance cock and plate. Fully signed. Wonderful pillars. All in good original condition and running well.

DIAL : Fine signed silver champleve dial in good condition. Nice early blued steel beetle and poker hands. The dial plate is firmly attached to the movement by two dial feet, with one missing leaving an unused hole in the dial plate.

INNER CASE : Silver, no hallmarks, but maker’s mark F?. In very good condition, though the stem and bow are later. The hinge is fine and the bezel closes well. Good high dome bull’s eye crystal with no damage.

OUTER CASE : Silver pair case. The hinge is fine and the case snaps shut nicely. The catch and catch button are fine. There are a few very small bruises, but in overall excellent condition.

Francis Colman (I) is listed in Ipswich from his marriage in 1668 until his death, possibly in 1709. His son Francis (II), a goldsmith in Ipswich, was born in 1667 and died in 1738.

The shape of the balance cock foot and the pillars (typical of Joseph Windmills) date this watch to the very end of the 17th century, probably about 1690.