Antique J W Benson Silver and Gold Half Hunter Pocket Watch

Antique J W Benson “The Ludgate” silver and gold half hunter pocket watch.

The watch has a good quality gilt stem-winding movement which is working nicely. The movement is signed, ‘The Ludgate, J W Benson, Patent No 4658, Best London Make, To H M The Late Queen, Ludgate Hill, London’. The movement is protected by an inner hinged cover.

The watch measures 50mm diameter excluding the winding stem and the loop. The case is silver with a solid gold chapter ring with enamel filled Roman numerals. All three covers are hallmarked for London 1911 with a sponsor’s mark for J W Benson. The front and sides of the case are in good condition, just a little gentle unevenness to the back but not too detrimental at all. The gold pin set button and loop are handsome embellishments. The silver has come off the winding crown.

The winding crown pushes in to open the front cover. Inside, there is a glass lens which is in good condition (some reflection showing in the photos).

The dial is signed J W Benson, London.

J W Benson originated in 1847, founded by James William Benson and Samuel Suckley Benson. They were regarded as one of Victorian London’s most prestigious retail jewellers and they also manufactured their own watch movements. The company flourished and proudly boasted an elite client base made up of both British and European royalty and a selection of well heeled industrialists and business figures including the King of Siam, the King of Portugal, the King of Denmark, the Emperor of Japan, the Tsar of Russia and the King of Greece. J W Benson also supplied watches to Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales.

As with many watch manufacturers, J W Benson embraced the newly introduced wristwatch during the first World War. Up until this point, the company was still manufacturing its own movements in the UK but after its factory at Belle Sauvage Yard was hit during a bombing raid in 1914, it purchased mechanisms from a number of quality movement producers in Switzerland, including Cyma.

There are a few faint short hairlines beneath the subsidiary seconds dial. Blued steel pin set hands including the special half hunter hour hand so the time can be read when the front cover is closed.

The watch comes in a new presentation box.

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All of our watches are checked over before listing, and are also checked for accuracy which is usually within around +/- two to three minutes over 24 hours (unless otherwise stated), which is considered respectable for a vintage watch.

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