Victorian Enamel and Gold Pocket Watch with Historical Significance

• Carat - A carat (abbreviated "ct") is a unit of measurement used to describe the weight of a diamond or other gemstone, and separately is a unit of measurement used to describe the weight of precious metals such as gold,.
  
  For gemstones, one carat is equal to 0.2 grams or 200 milligrams. The weight of a diamond is one of the Four Cs (along with cut, colour, and clarity) that are used to determine a diamond's value.
  
  It is important to note that a diamond's weight does not necessarily correspond to its size. A diamond's cut, which affects how well it reflects light, can make a diamond of a lower weight appear larger than a diamond of a higher weight. Additionally, the carat is not the only factor to determine the value of a diamond, other factors such as clarity, colour and cut are important too.
  
  In the gold industry, the purity of gold is measured in carats (abbreviated "ct"), with 24 karats being pure gold and lower carat numbers indicating a lower purity level. So, for example, 18 carat gold is 18/24 or 75% pure gold, and 12 carat gold is 12/24 or 50% pure gold.
• Movement - The technical name for the workings of a clock or watch, and does not include the dial or case.
• Victorian Period - The Victorian period of furniture and decorative arts design covers the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. There was not one dominant style of furniture in the Victorian period. Designers used and modified many historical styles such as Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, English Rococo, Neoclassical and others, although use of some styles, such as English Rococo and Gothic tended to dominate the furniture manufacture of the period.
  
  The Victorian period was preceded by the Regency and William IV periods, and followed by the Edwardian period, named for Edward VII (1841 ? 1910) who was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India for the brief period from 1901 until his death in 1910.
• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
• Keyless Watch - A keyless watch is a type of pocket watch or wristwatch that does not require a separate winding key to wind or set the time. Instead, a keyless watch is wound and set by a small knob or button located on the side of the watch, called a crown.
  
  Keyless watches were first introduced in the late 19th century and quickly became popular due to their convenience and ease of use. Prior to the development of keyless watches, pocket watches were typically wound and set using a small key that was inserted into a hole in the watch case. The key would be turned to wind the watch's mainspring, and then turned again to set the time.
  
  With the introduction of the keyless watch, watchmakers were able to simplify the winding and setting process by eliminating the need for a separate key. Instead, the crown on the side of the watch could be pulled out to set the time, and then pushed back in to wind the watch's mainspring.
  
  The keyless watch design has since become the standard for most modern watches, both pocket and wristwatches. In addition to being more convenient to use, keyless watches are also typically more reliable and accurate than earlier models that used winding keys.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• pocket watches, case type
  • enamelled decoration 157
  • open face, gold / gold-plated case 1,339
• Waltham Watch Co. (United States) - pocket watches 298