Gold slow beat lever by Thomas Yates, Preston
Stock No. 1460
Thomas Yates
Preston, 1848
Gold, 47 mm.
Lever, slow beat escapement
Sold
A very rare gold watch, with a slow beat lever movement (7200 beats per hour), made by Thomas Yates of Preston
MOVEMENT : Signed and numbered (1371). Slow beat lever fusee movement, with diamond endstone, engraved balance cock and gold compensated balance wheel. The movement is protected by removable signed gilt dustcap.
Good condition throughout.
The slow beat (half second beat) is achieved by the unusual train counts and a very heavy balance wheel.
DIAL : Cream enamel dial, signed, with subsidiary seconds dial. Gold moon style hands.
In good condition with no repairs , but with two light hairlines, one running between 11 and 2, and the other between 2 and 4.
CASE : 18ct. gold. Hallmarks for London, 1848, maker SQ (Samuel Quilliam of Liverpool). Also marked EK & Co. Double bottomed case with engine turned edge. Sprung back, with opening button on the pendant.
In good condition, with just a little wear to the centre on the back. The hinges are fine and the covers snap shut nicely. The back springs open correctly when pressing the button on the pendant. The crystal is fine.
The watch is presented in a mahogany box retailed by I. H. Pattinson of Bradford .
Thomas William Yates patented a variety of slow beat watches between about 1846 and 1880, with beat speeds ranging from 7200 to 11200. This example has the slowest beat, at 7200 beats per hour. The faster beats tend to be later.
The case maker, Samuel Quilliam, was commonly used by Yates. It is very unusal to find a Yates slow beat watch in a gold case (nearly always in silver).
Provenance : This watch is listed in the Fusee Lever Watch by Dr R. Kemp (page 70).
