Boxed 9ct Gold Wrist Watch from J W Benson, 1935

Boxed 9ct gold wrist watch from J W Benson, 1935.

The watch has a Swiss 15-jewel hand-winding movement which is working nicely.

The watch measures 31mm diameter excluding the winding crown and the fixed lugs. The case is 9 carat gold and there are hallmarks inside the hinged case back for Birmingham 1935 with a case maker's mark for Aaron Dennison, the Dennison Watch Case Company was a prolific manufacturer of cases for various watch makers.

The case is in very nice condition. The winding crown is probably a later replacement.

The white enamel dial is signed with the name of the original retailer of the watch, J W Benson. The dial has one hairline crack, although it is faint, but otherwise is in good condition. Blued steel hands, a subsidiary seconds dial and an outer minute track.

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. From a collector’s point of view, both the British and Swiss made J W Benson movements are desirable and comparable in quality.

A new leather strap has been fitted.

The watch comes in a J W Benson 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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