Antique “The Ludgate” Silver Pocket Watch, 1886

Antique “The Ludgate” silver pocket watch, 1886.

The watch has a key-wound movement which is working nicely. The movement has the wording, “The Ludgate”, J W Benson, Patent No 4658, Best London Make, to HM The Queen, Ludgate Hill, London. Bensons were at the Ludgate Hill premises from 1854 until 1937. The movement is protected by an inner hinged cover.

The watch measures 49mm diameter excluding the stem and the loop. The case is silver and there are hallmarks inside both of the case backs for London 1886 with a sponsor’s mark for J W Benson. The case is in good condition for such an early piece, some rubbing to the edge of the engine turned detail on the back of the watch, just from years of use. There is a cartouche to the back of the watch with initials but they are difficult to read.

The glass lens is in good condition.

The signed dial is in very nice condition, just a short hairline immediately under the subsidiary seconds dial, it is faint even through a magnifying loupe.

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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