Pocket Watches of the 1850s

Around 1850 very thin watches with a narrow rim around the case were considered highly modern. Most of all, the watch-makers of Switzerland outdid each other in making ever thinner watch movements.

Miniature ladies’ watches in beautifully engraved cases were a specialty of the Geneva watchmakers.

Special watches were made for the Asiatic market in Switzerland as well. Typically, these watches have a large second hand and a highly ornate movement with a duplex escapement.

High-quality, expensive pocket watches often had a chronometer escapement. The extremely delicate hands of these watches are the outward sign of their high precision.

Watches for farmers and craftsmen were made to be durable. The watch keys displaying the craftsmen’s trade emblems revealed the professional pride of their owner.