Are most Swiss pocket watches here silver or gold?

Silver is the larger group, and it is the metal behind the plain open-faced pocket watch that dominates the category. Gold cases appear across a similar number of listings overall, with 9ct much the commonest fineness. Below both sit gold-plated, gold-filled and rolled gold cases, and gun metal at the bottom. Base metal turns up throughout the pocket-watch listings.

What years do these watches cover?

The dated listings run from 1880 to 1960, and nearly all carry a clean year, which is unusual for watches. The 1920s and 1930s are the centre of gravity, together outweighing the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s combined. The 1960s and 1950s follow, then the 1910s, with the 1900s and 1940s thinner.

Do listings name the maker?

Often not. The bulk of the cheaper pocket watches are described by nationality and case metal alone, with no firm attached. Where a name does appear it lifts the piece well clear of the anonymous run, and so does a quoted calibre or reference number, which shows up mainly on wristwatches.

How common are chronographs and repeaters?

Chronographs form a small but steady strand across the archive. Some carry only the generic trade name Chronographe Suisse rather than a maker. Repeaters and other complications are one-offs. A five-minute repeater, a quarter repeater, a minute-repeating chronograph, a split-second rattrapante and a moonphase triple-date each appear once, and each sits at the top of the range.

Is the chain usually included with a pocket watch?

Around one listing in eight pairs the watch with a chain, albert or fob, and several are titled as a set. The rest are the watch alone. Fobs, meaning either the small watch on a short chain or the ornament hanging from it, appear in a handful of titles.

What wristwatches turn up in this category?

Mid-century gents' models, manual-wind and automatic, mostly 1950s and 1960s. They make up roughly a quarter of everything recorded and the greater part of what is currently listed. Case sizes are quoted on only a dozen or so, and those cluster between 33mm and 37mm, with 35mm the commonest figure. Ladies' and cocktail watches form a separate, smaller strand, several gold and diamond-set.

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Antique Swiss Watches

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Swiss-movement watches sold in Britain: pocket watches in silver, gold and plated cases, often with their chain, alongside mid-century gents' wristwatches made to be worn every day.