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