18th Century Diamond Watch by Christopher Moon

An 18th century 18ct yellow gold pair case watch, key-wind…
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An 18th century 18ct yellow gold pair case watch, key-wind verge movement No. 431 by Christopher moon, London, with rose-cut diamond end-stone; Roman numeral white enamel dial with subsidiary seconds dial; case R.P, London 1792; paper label of James Oatley, clock and Watchmaker, Sydney, 'Nb plate & rings, Chronometers and Timekeepers of all Sorts Carefully repaired on the short Notice'; an embroidered cover over the label. Diameter 52 mm. Total weight (all in) 139g (outer case 40g all in). (with key)

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  • Moon Dial - If we imagine life in the 17th century, the only source of ascertaining the time of day or night would have been the local church or municipal clock striking every quarter hour, and able to be heard by all in the village. In England, when longcase clocks became popular and more affordable in the late 17th century, the function of timekeeping and source of time was moved to within the home.

    An additional feature on some longcase clocks was to display the phases of the moon, that is the new moon, the full moon and the waning moon over the lunar 29 ½ day cycle. This information was important for farmers for working out cropping schedules; for travellers to know the amount of moonlight on a night they planned to travel; and for those who lived near the sea required knowledge of the tides.

    Where included, the moon dial is usually in the form of a disc incorporated into the main dial plate, usually in the arched top section. The lunar cycle starts with the new moon displaying, which is a dark night sky and no man-in-the-moon face being displayed, and then progresses to the full moon face showing on the 15th day of the lunar cycle, and back to no face displaying as the moon wanes. Most lunar dials are partially concealed on each side of their opening in the main dial plate by semi-circular "humps" that allow the painted face to emerge slowly just as the real moon goes out of and back into the earth's shadow.

    Nowadays, details of the lunar cycle is published in diaries, almanacs, and newspapers and although some modern longcase clocks are still manufactured with working moon dials, they are more for decoration than for use.
  • Movement - The technical name for the workings of a clock or watch, and does not include the dial or case.

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