A Very Fine London Cylinder Pocket Watch

A substantial and heavy London watch, with a wonderful quality cylinder movement.

MOVEMENT : Gilt movement with cylinder escapement. Plain balance cock, jewel endstone, gold balance wheel (with balance screws), top mounted mainspring set up, and steel escapement wheel. Four round pillars.

Signed Bentley & Beck, Royal Exchange, LONDON and numbered 1754.

Fine condition and running well.

The movement is protected by a removable gilt dustcap, signed as the movement.

DIAL : A fine white enamel dial with subsidiary seconds.

In excellent condition, though it may have been refinished. Signed as the movement.

Gold Breguet style hands with blued steel seconds.

CASE : Silver gilt, with London hallmarks for 1816, maker’s mark JD and movement number 1754.

This case was originally gilded. The gilding on the inner surfaces is still complete, but evenly worn down to the silver on the outer surfaces. The back cover is sprung, so flips open when the stem is depressed.

In excellent condition throughout. The hinges are fine and the bezel snaps shut correctly. The high dome bull’s eye crystal is fine.

Bentley & Beck are listed at The Royal Exchange, London between 1805 and 1824.

The case maker’s mark is probably that of James Dow of Clerkenwell.