Antique Silver Thomas Russell Pocket Watch, 1919

Antique silver Thomas Russell pocket watch, 1919.

The watch has a Swiss stem-winding movement which is working nicely. The movement would have been bought in by Thomas Russell, and signed as such, to be sold under his name.

The company name of Thomas Russell & Son was established in 1859 when Thomas Russell (who was listed as a watchmaker as early as 1848) handed over the control of the business to Thomas Robert Russell and Alfred Holgate Russell. The company was very well respected and successful, and they earned a Royal Warrant, ‘Makers to Queen Victoria’… they continued to benefit from this Warrant even after it ceased upon Victoria’s death in 1901 although its continued use was only tolerated for a short while.

After the partnership split, Thomas Russell continued as the proprietor of the Russell Watch & Chronometer Manufactury and Alfred Russell continued as Thomas Russell & Son. Thomas Russell & Son achieved a Royal Warrant as makers to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. In 1881 they started importing watches from Switzerland, such as the watch we have here.

The watch measures 49mm diameter excluding the winding stem and the loop. The case is silver and there are hallmarks inside the case back for London (import mark) 1919, together with a sponsor’s mark for Arthur Rendell.

In 1907, an act came into force which meant that all imported watches had to be assayed in a UK assay office and marked with British import hallmarks. For this, a sponsor's mark was required. In this particular case, Arthur Rendell was an employee, and probably in charge, of the department that handled imported watches at a company called Pringles, the UK's largest wholesalers of jewellery, silverware, clocks and watches, so it was deemed relevant to use his initials.

The front of the case is in good condition. The hinged case back has some unevenness.

The glass lens is in good condition (some white reflection showing in the photos).

The signed dial has some hairlines but they are quite faint. Original blued steel hands, a subsidiary seconds dial and an outer minute track.

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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