-George Stockwell 1911 London Edwardian Enameled Guilloche Pocket Watch In Sterling

An Edwardian pocket watch by George Stockwell & Co.

An amazing and very beautiful piece, created during the Edwardian period, back in the 1911. The movement was made in Switzerland and the case by the London importer and retailer George Stockwell & Co. This ultra thin elegant pocket watch was crafted in solid .925/.999 sterling silver end embellished with a radial guilloche engine turned finish, topped with a purplish-blue hot enamel. Accented on both sides with floral patterns and round frames in white enamel. It is fitted on top with a movable ring to wear in a chain or a fob and two hinged lids, one of them with a semi-bombe crystal for a 30mm open face.

Dial: Silvered on a radial guilloche, analog with black Arabic numbers, black batons and blued steel hands. Secondary dial for the seconds. Inscribed in Spanish, Cronometros Escasany.

Movement: Is 28mm size 3/0, Mechanical and hand winding with onion crown. Case reference number 8725, movement serial ref; 920700.

Weight: 60.95 Grams, (39.08 Dwt).

Measurements: 62 mm by 47.3 mm by 10.5 mm (2.44 x 1.86 x 0.41 Inches).

Hallmarks: Stamped with British crown marks; the importer sponsor mark GS associated to George Stockwell & Co., the mark for the assay of the .925 silver, the serial numbers. the gothic letter Q for the year 1911 and signed, "GS .925 TAVANES WATCH CO. 8725 920700 CRONOMETRO ESCASANY S.A..". 

George Stockwell & Co.

Stockwell & Company were carriers and shipping agents with their head office at 16 to 18 Finsbury Street, in London, with many depots around the UK. They were part of a European wide network of shipping agents called Messageries Nationales. Stockwell & Company company was founded in the nineteenth century and became a large and company moving good around Britain and, through Messageries Nationales, across the continent. They were used by many Swiss watch manufacturers to transport watches from Switzerland to Britain. In 1907 the British law changed to require that all imported gold and silver watch case be assayed and hallmarked. Many Swiss manufacturers did not have offices in Britain and could not organize this themselves, so Stockwell & Company registered with several assay offices in order to submit items for hallmarking on behalf of their customers. Stockwell & Company did not own the goods, so they were not importers in the strict sense of the word but acted as “Assay Agents” for their customers. Stockwell & Company were not manufacturers and never made watch cases, or assembled, imported or sold watches. Stockwell and Company were carriers who acted as British assay agents for Swiss case makers and goods. Watches are often advertised with the description saying something like this example; The movement is Swiss and the case is silver, the watch was assembled and made by George Stockwell for Stockwell and Co Ltd in 1914. This error is caused by the mistake of calling the sponsor's mark a “maker's mark” leading to the false assumption that it identifies who made an item. Watch cases made in Switzerland were stamped with Stockwell & Company's registered sponsor's mark before transported to Britain and sent to an assay office to be hallmarked and then returned to their makers in Switzerland or other countries.

The Edwardian Period

This era like the Georgian and Victorian eras before it, derives its name from the reign of the English King, Edward VII (1901-1910). Edwardian jewelry is known for representing femininity while incorporating a lot of the color white. Think diamonds, pearls and white metals like platinum and white gold. Diamonds often had an Old Mine or European cut and sapphires were a popular choice for a pop of color. They tended to be made from platinum and diamonds – the more, the merrier – and used fashionable, intricate techniques such as filigree and millegrain. Edwardian rings are works of art and best worn alone or alongside a simple wedding band. Mill graining, a new decorative technique made possible by the use of platinum, is featured often on Edwardian jewelry. Its border of delicate balls and ridges surrounding a gemstone or on the knife sharp edges of a design served to give jewelry a softer, lighter look.

Guilloché 

Is a term used in fine jewelry or objects de Vertu to enhance the appearance of boxes, frames, brooches, rings or pendants. Guilloché enamel refers to metal pieces that have been given the Guilloché treatment and then covered with a translucent layer of enamel, giving the geometric patterns underneath the enamel a colorful hue.

Collateral: It is accompanied by the original antique designer's presentation jewelry box.

Condition: The overall condition of this pocket watch is excellent. Beside the little normal wear, there is no damage to the silver. The enameled parts are secured in the settings. This clock has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.

INVENTORY REF: P041023SNEK/1.807