Very early George Graham verge

A very early and historically interesting verge watch, by the great George Graham, with later case and dial.

MOVEMENT : Gilt verge movement, fully signed and numbered (4728). Diamond endstone and four Egyptian pillars. Well engraved winged balance cock, with a mask at the neck.

The underside of the balance cock foot, and the movement plate are also engraved with this serial number (4728).

In very good condition throughout with just some scratches around the pillar tops. Running well.

DIAL : A later white enamel dial, in poor condition. No repairs but hairlines between 4 and 8.

This dial is probably 19th century.

Gilt brass hands. Again later.

CASE : White metal, probably nickel. The inner cover stamped with the movement serial number 4728.

All in good condition. The high dome crystal is fine.

The movement is a perfect fit for this case, and as it has the movement number it was probably made specially for this fine movement, in the late 19th century.

All of Graham’s verge movements are signed ‘Geo. Graham’. The serial number of the movement is very early, dating it to around 1715. Up to 1713, his watches were signed ‘Tompion and Graham’ but after Tompion’s death in 1713 the movements were signed with just Graham’s name.

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, with only a few listed by only George Graham earlier than this example.

George Graham (link)