George Margetts Gold Pocket Chronometer, No. 1347, Circa 1803
A gold pair-cased pocket chronometer, no. 1347, maker George Margetts English circa 1803 1.97 in. diameter, 2.83 in. high, 2.44 in. case diameter. A gold pair-cased pocket chronometer, no. 1347, maker George Margetts. English Circa 1803. Gold pair cased pocket chronometer, plain outer case hallmarked London, 1803, 18c and. maker's mark "IR". The inner case is also plain and similarly marked, and has a long pendant with a stirrup bow. The movement has a fusee and chain drive, an Earnshaw type escapement with a two-arm. bi-metallic balance and coiled helical balance spring, the cock and balance which are essentially Margetts. The back plate is signed "George Margetts London No 1347". The watch has a white enamel dial, a subsidiary seconds dial and gold hands. It is signed on. the dial "Margetts 1347" above the centre of the dial. A chronometer is a watch which has a detent escapement, or a detached escapement; it. allows the balance wheel to swing undisturbed during most of its cycle, except during the brief. impulse period. The escape wheel is locked on a jewel carried in a detent, which is a blade spring or alternatively a pivoted lever. Because the driving escape wheel tooth moves almost parallel to the pallet, the escapement has little friction and does not need oiling. The pivoted detent was developed by John Arnold around 1775 and modified by Thomas Earnshaw in 1780. Reference: Although Harrison had won the prize offered by the Admiralty for the development of the first really accurate timekeeper in 1761, it was Arnold and Earnshaw who produced chronometers commercially. There were a number of London watch makers who followed in the footsteps of Arnold and Earnshaw and were successful chronometer makers, and Margetts was one of them. George Margetts London (Cheapside) Freeman of Clockmakers Company 1779, Liveryman of the Clockmakers Company 1799 - 1808. A famous maker of the late 18th Century in the circle of English horologists experimenting with precision timekeeping, such as: Mudge, Emery, Arnold, Earnshaw, Kendal, Brockbank, Barraud, Pennington and Haley. Examples of his work can be found in the British Museum, Guildhall Museum and the Dennison Collection. Reference: Although Harrison had won the prize offered by the Admiralty for the development of the first really accurate timekeeper in 1761, it was Arnold and Earnshaw who produced chronometers commercially. There were a number of London watch makers who followed in the footsteps of Arnold and Earnshaw and were successful chronometer makers, and Margetts was one of them. Provenance: This watch was purchased from Camerer Cuss & Co on 11/10/1982 for 4,625 pounds. Norman's note: "A very elegant watch in lovely condition, plain, but good". Dimensions: 1.97 in. diameter, 2.83 in. high, 2.44 in. case diameter
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- Movement - The technical name for the workings of a clock or watch, and does not include the dial or case.
- Pair Cased - A pair cased watch is one with a double case. The movement is encased, and for additional protection this is fitted into an outer case.
- Back Plate - On many types of clocks, the movement operates between two plates, usually made of brass, one at the back, and the other at the front, which forms a mount for the dial.
On English bracket, mantle and table clocks the backplate was often visible through a glass door or panel from the late 17th century, and could be profusely engraved with scrolling decorations, flowers, foliage, birds, and figures. The engraving could also include the maker’s name.
The amount of engraving reduced and became simpler as the 18th century progressed, and by 1800, had been reduced to a border, often with the maker's name in the centre. By the early 1800s all decoration had ceased, and only the maker's name was added, and by the Victorian era, most bracket, mantle and table clocks had no engraving. - Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
- Thomas Earnshaw Balance Springs - Thomas Earnshaw (1749 – 1829 )was a British clock and watch maker who was a renowned inventor and craftsman. Earnshaw is credited with standardizing the design of the marine chronometer, making it a more reliable and accurate instrument for navigation. He also developed a process for hardening the balance springs used in chronometers, which made them more durable and resistant to temperature changes.
- Fusee - The fusee movement was used in clocks and pocket watches from the mid 17th century. The fusee is a cone shaped drum within the works that is linked to the barrel of the spring, usually by a length of chain.
As the mainspring loses its tension over time, the cone shaped barrel compensates for this by increasing the tension, by pulling the mainspring tighter, thus ensuring the time remains constant.
Use of the fusee in clocks was superseded by the "going barrel" in the mid 19th century and for pocket watches at the beginning of the 19th century.
The fusee continued to be used in marine chronometers until the 1970s.
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