Fine and large Thomas Earnshaw, London, silver pair case cylinder and fusee
circa 1793.
Full plate cylinder movement with particularly fine masked balance cock pierced
and engraved with delicate scrolling foliage. With dust cover cut
away to expose the cock. Stop lever at the edge of the dial at 4:00 which
stops the watch so the time can be set to the exact second. White enamel
dial with glaze scratch, cracks, and edge repair, but still very attractive
and presentable. Fancy gold hands.
Thomas Earnshaw was one of England's most illustrious makers. He invented the
spring detent chronometer escapement in late 1780 and his design has been
employed in the vast majority of marine chronometers made since then. It is very
interesting that this watch, made 13 years later, has a beautifully finished cylinder
escapement.