George Graham verge

A fine verge watch, by the great George Graham, in later gilt pair cases.

MOVEMENT : Gilt verge movement, fully signed and numbered (4779). Diamond endstone and four Egyptian pillars. Well engraved winged balance cock, with a mask at the neck.

The underside of the balance cock foot is also engraved with this serial number (4779). An interesting feature of the balance is the hairspring stud which has a square section hole and pin, rather than the normal round section. The use of square pins was first used by Thomas Tompion.

In excellent condition throughout and running well.

DIAL : Fine white enamel dial, again in excellent condition. This dial is a little later than the movement, probably late 18thc.

Fine gold beetle and poker hands. Again later.

INNER CASE : Gilt brass case, with maker’s mark TCC. In good condition throughout, with just a little compression to the band and even wear to the gilding. The hinge is fine and the bezel snaps shut though gapes a little around the top left.

The high dome bull’s eye crystal is fine.

OUTER CASE : Gilt brass. Good condition again. The hinge, catch and catch button are complete and the bezel snaps shut correctly. Wear to the gilding throughout, especially to the hinge where the silver shows through.

These cases are later that the movement. Early 19thc.

All of Graham’s verge movements are signed ‘Geo. Graham’. The serial number of the movement dates it to around 1720. From about 1726 George Graham switched from using verge to mainly cylinder escapements.

The case maker is Theodore C. Clark, who was first registered 1804 at St. John’s Lane, Farringdon, London.

REFERENCE : This watch is listed in “Thomas Tompion 300 Years” by Jeremy Evans, Jonathan Carter & Ben Wright. This excellent book includes lists of movement serial numbers for Tompion and his successors.

George Graham