Antique English French Royal Exchange 18K-Gold Pocket Watch. England, 1842

Beautiful antique English French Royal Exchange 18K-gold pocket watch made in London, England in 1842 and in very good condition. The watch bears the signature French Royal Exchange engraved by hand in the movement, with a lovely cursive lettering. The name corresponds to the French dynasty which worked at the Royal Exchange building in London between 1810 and 1864. The watch works fine and includes the original gold key, necessary to set the time and wind up the movement. All the caps that make up the casing, as well as the opening resort with the ring, bear the 18K mark (which guarantees that they are made of 18K gold). The front and rear caps are embellished with a guilloche decoration, with no engraved shields or motifs. The casing that frames the dial and the movement is decorated with an embossed border composed of delicate volutes. The dial is made of embossed silver, with gold-plated details and black Arab number. The hands are made of coppery metal, with a straight and simple design. Inside the front and rear caps we can see a series of marks: as well as the 18K mark we find four different hallmarks (among them, the one which identifies the city of London). The rear cap and the dustcap also bear the engraved serial number 17980. The rear cap bears the inscription PATENT LEVER engraved in its front side. Last but not least, the movement shows the manufacturers name and city (London) engraved by hand, together with the same serial number. This gorgeous antique English French Royal Exchange 18K-gold pocket watch will stand out as an accessory for an elegant outfit, or as part of an exclusive collection. Dimensions: Width: 48 mm. French Watches - History In the 19th century, French was one of the most renowned and respected watchmaking firms in London. The name French is usually connected to the Royal Exchange, the building where the familys workshop was located for several decades. Everything started in 1810, when the famous English watchmaker Santiago James Moore French started to make and sell watches and clocks. The business was taken over by his son John, who ruled it from 1845 to 1847. After Santiagos death, his widow married the Spanish watchmaker José Rodríguez Losada who was then working for the company. Under his management, the business kept on making fine watches and chronometers and sold them in the USA, Spain and Switzerland, among other countries. As well as a clockmaker, Losada was a liberal soldier who exiled himself in London. He is famous for having donated the great clock that presides the Royal House of the Post Office in Puerta del Sol, Madrid.