A very rare 18^th Century English clockwatch made for the Japanese market in a pierced gilt case. Full plate fire gilt movement with elaborate engraved and pierced pillars. Pierced and engraved cock with glazed table, pierced and engraved foot and plate for the silver regulator disc. Fusee and chain with worm and wheel barrel setup between the plates. Plain four arm gilt balance, blue steel spiral hairspring. Small resting barrel for the clockwatch, single steel hammer striking a bell of polished green stone (probably nephrite) on the passing of the time period. Plain gilt dial, the rotating inner section with two sets of six silver Japanese numerals. The spacing of the numerals can be adjusted to accommodate the Japanese clock. Large fixed pierced blue steel hand indicating the time. As the adjustable numerals pass the tip the watch strikes the time by means of a count wheel mechanism under the dial. The dial rotates once every 24 hours, the numerals each representing a varying period of time of about two hours duration. Finely pierced and engraved gilt metal case with a bell of light green stone, the winding apertures in the back of the case and through the bell.

• Signed __________Tho Swetman 4540 London
• Circa 1770
• Diameter 55mm - Depth 21 mm
• Condition
• ==> Case _______ Excellent.
• ==> Dial ._______ Excellent.
• ==> Movement __ Excellent.

A very rare and unusual watch. The Japanese based their method of timekeeping on a Chinese system which is somewhat eccentric, the length of their periods of time altering throughout the year. Each 24 hour day is divided into its two natural sections, day and night. These are then divided into six equal parts. This necessitates allowing mechanical timekeepers to have adjustable markings. Timepieces made for the Japanese market are rare. This is the only example of a clockwatch we have seen. The case itself is also somewhat odd, being large and deep. It would have originally had a protective case or box made of leather or perhaps wood.

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