Antique John B. Cross Semi Verge Fusee Pocket Watch, 18K Gold. London 1853

Demi-fusee 18K yellow gold men's pocket watch, key-wound and time set, with open dial, made by John B. Cross of London for the dealer and jeweler Etheridge & Ellis of Norwich (Norfolk). Made circa 1853.Case: 44mm diameter pocket watch, in 18K yellow gold, three-leaf, with gilt dial and solid gold pendant and ring at the 12 o'clock position. The outer cover is engraved with a shield-shaped cameo for the owner's initials. The inside of the cover contains the following distinctive stamps: uncrowned leopard head = London. Crown and the number 18 for the quality of the 18K gold. The date mark is the letter 'S' in antique calligraphy, equivalent to 1853. The initials CR, belonging to the case maker, most likely silversmith Christopher Rowlands, 33 Smith Street, Northampton Square, Clerkenwell. The cuvette has two openings for winding and setting the time and is signed, 'G. & W.E. Etheridge, Norwich', the jewelry firm that sold this watch.Dial: Elegant gold dial with black enamel Roman hours on a gold background with open dotted minute ring, the center of the dial is decorated with vegetal decoration, on a guilloche background, seconds hand at 6 o'clock and Breguet style steel hands. The dial is not signed.Machinery: full gold-plated, gold-colored, winding and keyed (including) time setting, with English style short foot regulator, engraved and marked with 'faster' and 'slower' in English. The plate is elegantly signed John B. Cross, Charterhouse Square, London, No. 10218'. The machinery is semi-catalina, with snail and chain, but no verge fusee wheel, but horizontal escapement.Condition:Case - Shows some general wear to the outer case, but no dents or breaks. Dial - Very good, but with breaks in the black paint on the numerals, partly due to the hour hand and partly due to previous attempts to reset some of these numerals. Machinery - Works very well! Stains and scratches on the plate surface due to oil and key scratches.Date: 1853John Berryhill Cross of London: This clock and chronometer maker worked between 1822 and 1864. Between 1822 and 1832 he worked in Jewin Street. From 1832 to 1845 he was registered at 41 Charterhouse Square. About the period from 1851 to 1858 he worked at 23 Moorgate Street. By 1861 until about 1864 he was at 53 Moorgate Street.George and William Ellis Etheridge of Norwich. This name appears in the 1836 Norfolk Trade Directory at 10 Gentleman's Walk, Norwich (watchmaker and jeweler).