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Gold and enamel cased watch by

  • Case: front

    Case: front

  • Case: back

    Case: back

 

M&ME 1888,12-1,219

Room 38-39: Clocks and Watches

Time

Pocket watch decorated with diamonds


Telling the time using watches

As time went on, smaller and smaller clocks were made, until they could be worn on a chain or ribbon around your neck, and later still carried about in your pocket. But they still worked the same way as larger clocks.

At first all watches were very expensive, and often were carried just to show off either how rich their owner was, or that they were up with the latest technology. How do people show these things today?

This watch is extremely valuable. Normally, the case of a watch would be made to fit the workings, but this case and dial were made first and delivered to the watch-maker to fit the mechanism into. It is made of solid gold and enamelled with colour pictures and flowers. The lid is encrusted with 92 diamonds.

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