Antique Rotherham Silver Half Hunter Pocket Watch

An antique silver half hunter pocket watch by Rotherham & Son.

The company evolved from S Vale who were established in 1747. To begin with, the company bought in ebauché (or blank movements) but in the latter part of the 19th Century they began to manufacture their own movements. By the late 1880s, they were considered to be an important Coventry watch manufacturer producing 100 units a week.

The company continued to grow and it is estimated that they manufactured some 600,000 movements between 1880 and 1930. While not in the same league as some of the big Swiss and American factories, such as Waltham who produced 26 million in the same period, they were still considered to be among the best English “volume” maker.

Rotherham's later diversified into cycle and automobile parts and watch manufacturing ceased in the 1930s. 

This particular watch has an English stem-winding movement which is working nicely. The movement is protected by an inner hinged cover. The movement is not signed but it has the Rotherham’s serial number.

The watch itself measures 50mm diameter excluding the winding stem and the loop. The case is silver and there are hallmarks inside both of the case backs and also the front cover for Birmingham 1910, with a case maker’s mark for John Rotherham of Rotherhams & Sons watch and watch case makers. The case is in lovely condition and has Roman numerals around the small centre lens, with dark blue enamel filling. The small glass lens has some surface marking, probably from rubbing against something in a pocket.

The winding crown pushes in and then you can open the front cover with your fingernail. Inside, the lens is in good condition. The white enamel dial has three or four hairlines. Blued steel hands (initially pin set), including the special hour hand for half hunter watches so that the time can be read even when the front cover is closed.

The watch will be sent 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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