What is the difference between a single and double Albert?

A single Albert is one chain with one clip. A double runs two chains from a central T-bar, so a watch hangs on one side and a fob, sovereign case or vesta on the other. Doubles are the larger group by some way, and the gold end of the range is dominated by them.

Are most watch chains silver or gold?

Silver appears in the majority of titles, usually as an Albert with a fob. Gold runs to about a third, most of it 9ct, with smaller groups in 15ct and 18ct. Rolled gold and gold-filled chains form a smaller strand, along with gilt metal, plated, base and white metal at the bottom of the range.

Why are some listed as necklaces or bracelets?

Roughly a fifth of titles describe chains as necklaces, chokers or bracelets, usually with a dog clip terminal rather than a swivel. That group is concentrated in current stock. They are the same link chains, offered for wear rather than for use with a pocket watch.

What period do these chains date from?

The dated field runs 1860 to 1960, with the turn of the century carrying the weight. The 1900s and 1910s are the fullest decades, then the 1920s and 1890s. Anything after the 1930s is scarce. Many listings use period words such as Victorian or Edwardian instead of a year.

What kinds of fobs turn up on these chains?

Sporting and club fobs are a category within the category: cricket, football, boxing, tennis, golf, swimming, cycling, darts, dominoes, chess and rifle club all appear in titles. Masonic, regimental and railway fobs recur, with Great Eastern and Great Western examples named. Novelties surface once in a while, including a flintlock pistol fob and a compass-and-thermometer chain.

How long are guard and muff chains?

Length across the category varies by a factor of five. The shortest Alberts in the samples run 12 to 13 inches. Guard and muff chains sit at the other end, reaching 57, 59, 70 and 78 inches. They were worn round the neck rather than across a waistcoat.

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Antique Watch Chains

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A link chain made to carry a pocket watch across a waistcoat, anchored by a T-bar at one end and clipped to the watch at the other, often with a fob hanging from it.