When having your pocket watch valued for insurance, probate, or sale, one of the first things a valuer will do is assess the hallmarks of the pocket watch. These hallmarks can tell a valuer a lot about the age, origin, and make-up of a watch.
Hallmarks can be difficult to read for the untrained eye. As such, in this article, I will explain the origins, uses, and how to read a hallmark so that you can understand the provenance of your pocket watch.
What Is A Hallmark?
A hallmark is an official mark, or a series of marks, stamped onto items such as watches, jewellery, and silver to aid in the identification and valuation of such items. The marks can certify the metal content, the maker, and the year and office of the assay.
Hallmarks have been used on metal items for centuries, with the first attempts at regulation made by Henry II. However, the official introduction of a hallmarking system came in the reign of Edward I when the leopard head was introduced as a quality mark for sterling silver (92.5% silver).
Today, countries around the world use hallmarking as a way of tracing, taxing, and assuring the quality of items made from silver, gold, and platinum. In addition, marks have been introduced to indicate silver and gold-plated items.
Understanding Pocket Watch Hallmarks
The pocket watch was invented in Nuremberg in 1510 by German watchmaker Peter Henlein. However, it was not until the 19th century that the pocket watch saw mass popularisation in the United Kingdom. At this time, the pocket watch became a status symbol, something that was only reinforced by the quality of the mechanism, the purity of the metal, and the public opinion of the watchmaker.
As such, pocket watches were subject to hallmarking legislation to ascertain all of these things (as well as keeping track of taxable goods).
The metals that are most commonly used in the manufacturing of pocket watches are gold, silver, and gold plate. There are different levels of purity for gold and silver which will affect the value of your pocket watch.
The table below is a summary of the most common and important British hallmarks on pocket watches:
|
Hallmark |
Description and Purpose |
|
Maker’s/Sponsor’s Mark |
The initials of the individual or company that submitted the item for hallmarking. Does not always denote the maker. There will be subtle differences in hallmarks with the same initials, such as the shape of the surround (or shield). |
|
Town Mark |
The identifying symbol of the assay office where an item was tested and hallmarked. For example, the symbol for the Birmingham assay office is an anchor. |
|
Standard/Purity mark |
This mark denotes the fineness or purity of the metal used for manufacture. For example, 375 denotes 9ct gold, and the Lion Passant denotes sterling silver. |
|
Date Letter |
This mark denotes the date that the item was hallmarked. Date letters and their fonts change each year. |
Common Hallmarks On Gold Pocket Watches
One of the first hallmarks a pocket watch valuer will take note of is the purity mark. This mark tells the valuer the fineness of the metal that the watch is made from. For example, is a gold pocket watch made of 9ct gold or 22ct gold?
See the handy table below for the marks and the fineness that they indicate:
|
Hallmark |
Carat |
Gold Content |
|
375 |
9ct |
37.5% |
|
585 |
14ct |
58.5% |
|
750 |
18ct |
75% |
|
916 |
22ct |
91.6% |
|
990 |
24ct |
99% |
|
999 |
Fine Gold |
99.9% |
On some items, you will see the carat denoted as 9k or 18k. This is because countries such as the USA and France spell carat with a ‘k’. Although, there is no difference as far as fineness is concerned (Switzerland excluded).
The Swiss are renowned for their watchmaking. As such, it is important to have a baseline understanding of Swiss hallmarks.
The Swiss do not use numbers (e.g. 375) to indicate gold purity on their pocket watches. Instead, they use symbols.
|
Hallmark |
Karat |
Gold Content |
|
Squirrel |
14k |
58.3% (note that the Swiss fineness standard for 14k is lower than the British) |
|
Head of Helvetia |
18k |
75% |
Gold-Plated Marks on Pocket Watches
In addition to gold and silver pocket watches, some watches are made with gold-plated metal. If an item is gold-plated, this means that there is a base metal (such as stainless steel) underneath a thin layer of gold that is applied through a process called ‘electroplating’. The use of a base metal and a very small amount of gold makes the item cheaper to manufacture and buy.
If a British-made item is gold-plated, this will be indicated by a lack of the legal hallmarks used for gold fineness. So, if your gold-coloured item does not feature any of the common British gold hallmarks, it is likely gold-plated. It could also be rolled gold (RGP) or gold-filled (GF). Solid gold pocket watches will, of course, fetch the highest price and are most sought-after by pocket watch collectors.
Common Hallmarks on Silver Pocket Watches
Silver pocket watches are also common. As such, it is useful to have an understanding of silver hallmarks as indications of fineness. Sterling silver is considered the quality standard for silver in the United Kingdom. This is indicated by the lion passant mark.
Please see the table below for common silver fineness marks used in the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
|
Hallmark |
Country |
Silver Content |
|
Lion passant |
United Kingdom |
Sterling silver (92.5%) |
|
Britannia |
United Kingdom |
95.8% |
|
Grouse |
Switzerland |
80% |
|
Rampant bear |
Switzerland |
87.5% |
The absence of any of these marks on your silver-coloured pocket watch indicates that it is silver-plated. Silver-plated pocket watches do not hold any significant value.
