A 22 carat gold pocket chronometer

INSCRIBED JNO. ARNOLD & SON, LONDON, INVT ET FECT, NO. 108/409, LATE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A 22 carat gold pocket chronometer
Inscribed Jno. Arnold & Son, London, Invt et Fect, No. 108/409, late 18th Century
The frosted gilt chain fusee movement with pierced and engraved cock, ruby endstone, blued steel helical spiral, three-armed OZ balance with Earnshaw's spring detent escapement, the white enamel dial with Roman numerals, large subsidiary seconds, blued steel spade hands, numbered 108, in 22 carat gold plain consular case, with casemaker's mark TH for Thomas Hardy, with later mahogany box, movement inscribed and numbered, dial numbered
52 mm. diam.
London 1794

Literature

Hans Staeger, 100 Years of Precision Timekeepers from John Arnold to Arnold & Frodsham 1763-1862, 1997, pp. 192 and 194

Lot Essay

It was originally thought that this was one of the earliest Arnold pocket chronometers with the Earnshaw escapement, but in fact on closer examination it is seen that the backplate is a later replacement and the Earnshaw escapement is a later conversion. The signature and inscription are also not original.

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