Related to its 18th century counterparts, this watchbox is a rare example made in the Federal style. Used as an ornate display case for a gentleman's time piece, watchboxes served as a decorative means to keep one's watch upright when not in use, as the mechanisms would fail if laid flat. It is possible that when not worn by the owner, the watch placed within the box may have been the only clock in the house by which the family could refer for the time, as clocks were not yet commonly owned.