Very large London silver alarm

A very large and rare alarm watch by an excellent London maker. The alarm is sounded by a steel hammer striking a bell.

MOVEMENT : Large gilt lever movement, with gold balance wheel and blued steel fittings. Four round baluster pillars.

Signed VINER, New Bond Street, ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDON.

Running well, and in very good condition. The alarm is working correctly.

DIAL : Signed white enamel dial.

The dial is in reasonable condition, with some damage, all of it around the edge. There are chips between 9 and 10, hairlines across the edge between 7 and 8, and a filled repair between 5 and 6.

Blued steel hands.

The alarm hand is set by twisting the top of the stem (only allowing the alarm hand to be moved backwards).

CASE : A very heavy silver case, with London hallmarks for 1819. The case maker’s mark is rubbed.

The inside cover is beautifully pierced and engraved. The outer cover has a family crest engraved on the back.

In very good condition. The hinges are fine and both the bezel and back cover snap shut correctly.

The crystal is good but is a later synthetic replacement.

This is a very substantial watch, weighing in total about 285 grams, and about 75 mm. diameter excluding the bow and stem. There are standard sized alarm watches by Viner documented, but this oversized watch is very rare. It was probably made as an exhibition or display example.

Viner was a very good maker of clocks and watches. The company was at New Bond Street and Royal Exchange between 1778 and 1820.