For sale is an original Victorian pocket watch, dating to 1876, housed in a sterling silver case hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office.

This is a genuine 19th-century piece, not a marriage or reproduction.

Case
• Sterling silver (lion passant)
• Birmingham assay mark (anchor)
• Lowercase looped date letter “b” = 1876
• Case maker’s mark “S.W”
• Internal matching case number 30032 (front, middle, and back all match)
• Attractive period floral/scroll engraving
• Honest age-related wear consistent with a 150-year-old watch

Dial & Hands
• Original white enamel dial with Roman numerals
• Blued steel hands
• Small chip to enamel near XII (clearly visible, typical of age)

Movement
• Swiss bar movement, gilt finish
• Period-correct for British market watches of the 1870s
• Balance wheel spins freely
• Untested beyond visual inspection
• No attempt made to wind or run the watch

Condition / Important Notes
• Balance spins, but timekeeping not tested
• Sold as found, for spares or repair
• No service history known
• Please study photos carefully — they form part of the description

Background

This type of watch was commonly manufactured in Switzerland, imported to Britain, and fitted into a British hallmarked silver case for sale by a retailer. It represents a typical, honest mid-Victorian everyday pocket watch — the sort actually carried by clerks, engineers, and professionals of the period.



Dating Summary
• Year: 1876
• Era: Victorian
• Metal: Sterling silver (92.5%)
• Origin: Swiss movement, British cased