Solid nickel cased chronograph pocket watch manufactured by Longines and retailed by the quality London based watchmaker, "J. W. Benson" (watchmaker to Queen Victoria). dating from around 1905 (dated by Longines serial number).
Solid nickel case with snap-on bezel, hinged back and inner dust cover. Depressing winding crown starts, stops and resets chronograph. Nail hand setting button mounted on edge of case at 1 o'clock position. Inside case back signed, "J.W.B." (J.W.Benson). Dust cover engraved with Queen Victoria's crown and signed, "By Warrant To H.M. The Late Queen Victoria - Examined By J. W. Benson, 62 & 64 Ludgate Hill, London.". Case diameter (not including pendant) : 52mm. Fitted with acrylic U.B. crystal. Case condition : 75% (a few minor dings).
White enamel dial with dual registers: subsidiary second dial and chronograph 30 minute register. Black Roman numerals and outer chronograph second chapter, divided into 5ths of a second. Gilt hands. Dial condition : 100%.
Nice quality, gilt, chronograph movement. Positively identified as being manufactured by Longines. Signed on back plate under dial, "B & Co." ("Baume & Co." - Arthur Baume - A director of Longines who had sole rights to the U.K. Longines agency). Movement condition (appearance) : 90%. Good working order. Time keeping : good.
J.W. Benson was a
highly regarded London based watch & clock making company which traded between
1849 and 1973. During the 19th century it was
watchmaker to the Admiralty and also held a number of royal warrants including
Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. The company was founded by James William Benson
(born in 1826 in Reading) and his older brother (or cousin?) Samuel Stuckley
Benson (born 1822). They
traded as S.S. & J.W. Benson
until 1855.
From this time on James William continued the business under his own name, J.W. Benson. In
1878 James William Benson died aged 52, and his sons Alfred and Arthur continued
the business. The company's premises
were: Cornhill (1849-64), Ludgate Hill (1854-1937), 25 Old Bond Street (1872-3)
and 28 Royal Exchange (1892-1937). Their original workshop was at 4-5 Horseshoe
Court (at the rear of their Ludgate Hill premises) and in 1892 they became a
limited company and moved to
their new 'steam' factory at 38 Belle Sauvage Yard. During W.W.I. the factory
was bombed and from this point on the company no longer manufactured its own
watches, but continued as a retailer. The timepieces bearing the company name
used high quality movements supplied by Swiss manufacturers such as, Vertex, Cyma/Tavannes
and Longines. Benson continued until 1973 when the name was sold,
'supposedly' to the Royal jewellers, Garrards.
The Compagnie des Montres Longines Francillon S.A. was formed in the 1830s by Ernest Francillon at Saint-Imier, Switzerland and has always been renowned for design and precision. Famous aviators, explorers and pioneers have all consulted Longines. The company provided timers used at the first modern day Olympics in 1892 and has been closely associated with the worldwide development of sport timing ever since. It has been responsible for timekeeping at no less than fourteen Olympic Games.
For more information on the Longines, please click on the following link :
Inventory No. 163