Gold Pocket Chronometer By Barwise

Gold Pocket Chronometer by Barwise.

Signed: Barwise, London. Hallmarked: London, 1815. Diameter: 56 mm. Depth: 17 mm.

A fine large early 19th Century chronometer by Barwise in a gold consular case. Full plate gilt keywind fusee movement. Harrison's maintaining power. Plain cock with diamond endstone in a blue steel setting. Heavy compensation balance, the blue steel and brass laminated rims fixed by screws to the slender brass arms. Helical blue steel hairspring. Earnshaw spring detent chronometer escapement, the detent dovetailed into a gilt foot. Screwed in jewelling, escape pivots with endstones. Signed and numbered white enamel dial with subsidiary seconds, Roman numerals, gold hands. Substantial faded engine turned 18 carat consular case, gold pendant and bow. Dust proof recesses for the bezel and back, small hole by the movement latch to secure it against tampering. Maker's mark TH in a rectangle and number corresponding to that on the movement.

A good example of an early 19th Century chronometer. John Barwise, 1756 - 1820, was one of the most eminent English watchmakers of the period. He was selected by the Board of Longitude to be on the panel to determine the different merits of the chronometers made by John Arnold and Thomas Earnshaw. Casemaker Thomas Hardy whose mark is found on many Arnold chronometers.