Display Watch

watch index	60
country	British
piece name (title):	Benjamin Chadwick Chronometer
price	$1120
set	key
plate	unknown
plate finish	gilt
date	1873
case style	hunting
case material	silver
escapement	chronometer spring detent
serial number
maker	Working dates and addresses (all Liverpool): 1837 34 Old Haymarket 1853 9 Lord Street 1855-1859 69 Lord Street Mercer's Chronometer Makers of the World lists Chadwick and records pocket chronometers nos. 302, 342, 426 and 542 (8-day).
movement	Signed on the top plate for "Benjamin Chadwick Liverpool" serial number 11320. Half plate, (if the fourth wheel as well as the escape and the balance all have a separate cock, it is known as a half plate, regardless of how much of the top plate is left), key wound, fusee with chain, the cut compensated balance with gold temperature screws and platinum(?) quarter screws, helical blue steel hairspring, free-sprung with overcoils, diamond endstone, jewelled to the third, endstone to the escape. The brass detent foot planted in the pillar plate and fitted with an overlength steady pin.
escapement	Spring detent, the brass escape wheel and detent of Earnshaw type.
case	Plain with fixed dome and barrel edge to the band, gold joints, pendant with front cover release button, front cover engraved with garter strap surrounding blank cartouche.
case marks	Case assayed in Chester (three sheaves and sword), 1873 ("k"), maker Hugh Green, 20 Pownall Square, Liverpool, registered 5th June 1865 ("HG" incuse). Pendant assayed in Birmingham (anchor), 1873 ("Y"), probably by John Johnson (listed as "Pendant Maker"), at 8 Mount Street, Chapel Fields, Coventry, ("JJ" in oval cartouche). Different marks on pendants do not necessarily indicate replacements; pendant making was a separate specialism and this is a commonly found discrepancy.
dial and hands	The white enamelled dial with Roman hour chapter, minute ring to the outside, with sunk sub seconds dial at VI, "Chronometer" under XII. The blue steel hands in spade style with gold coloured seconds hand, the latter probably a replacement.
notes	The detent spring showing signs of a soldered repair next to the locking stone. This will affect the value as a replacement component will be a very expensive repair. The watch is however of good quality and would have been an expensive luxury item, beyond the reach of most when new. There is no sign that this is a replacement case.
valuation	The movement appears to be in reasonable condition apart from the spring detent repair, and the case is generally scratched from use. This piece is valued as a "regulation" chronometer with $1000 deducted to allow for repair to the detent.
copyright	© 2017 Graham Morse and Martin Rosen