Repeater by Alexander Cumming

A fine London lever escapement watch, with a half quarter repeat, by a very important maker.

MOVEMENT : A gilt movement with lever escapement, polished steel balance wheel, engraved and pierced balance cock with diamond endstone. Good undamaged blued steel screws.

Signed Alex. Cumming, London and numbered 887.

Half, quarter repeating with two polished steel hammers striking a bell.
The repeating function is activated by pushing down the stem. This strikes once for each hour, twice for each quarter, and once for the half quarter (7.5 minutes). Good tone to the chimes. A pulse piece through the bezel at 5 allows to chime to be muted.

The movement is in very good condition, and is running well and repeating correctly. There are 2 small steel posts screwed to the top plate which would have fixed a removable gilt dustcap, but this is now absent (probably removed when the movement was recased – see below).

DIAL : White enamel dial. No repairs but there are two hairlines running down the left hand side of the dial. Nice gilt hands..

IINNER CASE : Silver, with London hallmarks for 1788, maker WL.

The case is in good condition, and snaps shut correctly. The high dome bull’s eye crystal has a few scratches but no chips or other damage.

OUTER CASE : Silver with hallmarks and maker’s mark matching the inner.

In very good condition throughout.

The serial number on this movement dates it to about 1775, when it was probably made with a cylinder escapement. The original cases would have been pierced and engraved. At some later date (probably around 1830), the movement has been converted to a lever escapement (very well done) and recased with a new dial added.

Alexander Cumming