Early English Watch by Francis Nawe, c.1590

A very early oval shaped English watch in a gilt metal case, the fusee driven movement with (now missing) verge escapement. The engraved gilt metal dial has a steel arrow tip hand, c.1590. By Francis Nawe, London.  

A Dutch Huguenot, Nawe fled to England to escape the Spanish persecution of Protestants in the Netherlands after 1570. Together with other refugees, he settled in the Parish of St Ann's, Blackfriars, where he became one of the founding fathers of English domestic horology. He died together with his family when the plague swept through St Ann's in 1598.

The oval shaped movement is fusee driven with a (now missing) verge escapement and unsprung balance. The fusee is cut for cat gut rather than a chain. The hour wheel and hand are driven by four pins on the lower fusee arbor. The balance cock is pinned in position as is usual on early watches.

The oval shaped case is a common feature on early English watches. Both the dial and potence plate are richly engraved with cherubs, butterflies, flowers and even vegetables. Both the steel arrow tip hand and the S shaped balance cock were styles used on other watches by Nawe.

The persecution of Dutch Huguenots by the Spanish and French authorities in their own country caused a flood of these industrious Protestants seeking refuge in less hostile countries such as England and Switzerland. Undoubtedly, the later greatness of English horology owed much to these talented refugees and may have developed sooner had the catastrophic outbreak of the plague not killed so many craftsmen. 

A gold pair cased quarter repeating watch, dated 1709, by Thomas Tompion.

Thomas Tompion, 1639-1713, was one of the greatest horologists of all time and is known as the 'Father of English Watchmaking'. He was the son of a Bedfordshire blacksmith and was admitted into the Clockmakers's Company in 1671. Tompion's work contributed to raising the standards and innovativeness of English horology to new heights. He later took George Graham into partnership. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

The movement has a verge escapement and a quarter repeating mechanism. (Tompion was one of the pioneers in the areas of balance springs and repeating mechanisms). The balance cock is fitted with a diamond endstone which appeared on the best quality watches after 1704.

The movement has a finely engraved balance cock with a broad pierced foot. The champleve dial is signed, TOMPION, in a cartouche surrounded by cherubic figures. The outer case is typical of Tompion's style with a central cartouche at the rear for the owner's initials or crest. The inner case is profusely pierced and engraved with foliage, grotesque mask and landscape.

Tompion charged 23 pounds for ordinary gold watches but his repeating watches were priced at 70 pounds, a huge sum of money at that time. Only the very wealthy could afford one and women continued to wear them on chatelaines attached to the waist. Men, however, wore watches in the pocket on a cord.

George Graham, 1673-1751, was born in Cumberland. He was apprenticed in London in 1688 and began working for Tompion in 1696. He married Tompion's niece and became his partner in 1711. Graham was renowned in his day as a scientific instrument maker, inventor and pioneer of precision timekeeping. He is buried with Tompion in Westminster Abbey.

Graham developed and perfected the cylinder escapement in 1726 which he used almost exclusively from then on. It was to remain the accepted escapement for precision watches in England until superseded by the spring detent and lever escapements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Swiss watchmakers continued to use it well into the 20th century.

The most opulent form of case decoration was repousse work in which various moulds and different shaped hammers were used to create a three dimensional picture. This one shows Diana, the Huntress with her dogs. Classical scenes were usual although occasional Christian or memorial reliefs were made.

Repousse cased watches were among the most expensive of their day but they were easily damaged due to their relief in soft 22 ct gold. It was usual, therefore, to have a third protective case for everyday use which would be removed only on special occasions.

John Ellicott, 1706-1772, set up business in 1728 in Sweetings Alley and was an early manufacturer of the cylinder escapement. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society,  clock maker to the King (George III), and was one of the most eminent horologists of his time.

Repeating watches - where the hour is struck on demand by pressing the pendant - were continually being improved throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. There were quarter, half quarter, five minute and minute repeaters. This one, a half quarter, repeats the time to the nearest 7.5 minutes on a single bell. 

Both cases are pierced around the edges to allow the sound of the bell to be heard more distinctly, and engraved. The inner case is engraved with foliage, grotesque mask and a landscape at the pendant, the outer has a central floral engraving.

The 'bright cut' silver and gold cased watches were made for those who desired more than a plain watch, but who could not afford repousse work. Repeating watches allowed the owner to know the time in the dark without the bother of lighting a lamp. They were also useful to the blind or the partially sighted.