The Differences between French and British Pocket Watches

Here’s a strictly private and primarily non-technical view of the variations between French and British pocket watches from say the mid-18th century to the sooner twentieth.

Do please be aware that this text incorporates some VERY broad generalisations. It’s a tough information solely.

18th century – the verge is king

1. The commonest (however not common) distinction is that French verge fusee pocket watches have a tendency to make use of a stability bridge whereas most British watches use a stability cock.

A stability bridge mainly signifies that the ornate piece of brass sitting on prime of the stability wheel is secured by screws at each ends. A stability cock solely has one screw and foot securing it, because it initiatives out over the stability wheel.

Be aware that some Dutch and German makers made their items and signed them with an English identify and “London” however they nonetheless used a stability bridge.

2. Pair-cased items are barely extra uncommon in France than the UK.

3. French items have an adjustment screw to assist make straightforward fractional adjustments to the crown wheel and pinion. British items normally don’t and use as an alternative a brass stent/plug. Some purists argue this makes French watches of the interval technically superior to British – you possibly can debate that one at size!

4. Whereas there are after all exceptions, French watches are usually primarily smaller. British watches begin to develop into bigger in the direction of the tip of the century.

Nineteenth Century – verges

Till round 1830-40, each international locations are nonetheless largely making verge fusees.

France additionally begins making some chunkier, heavier watches from round 1820. These are referred to as “Campagnard”. Some French watches begin to be fitted with snap-on rear circumstances reasonably than the beforehand extra commonplace hinged options. That is much less commonplace within the UK.

Kinds begin to diverge extra considerably within the interval 1815-1830 and the tip of the verge epoch.

Within the UK, watches have gotten bigger in diameter, heavier and their circumstances (typically pair-cased) have gotten a lot weightier when it comes to silver or gold content material, than their French counterparts.

The silver in most French watches is much thinner. It’s not clear if this was a sensible design consideration to maintain weight down or a mirrored image of the extra quickly rising wealth of the British center class versus their French cousins. No matter, most French watches from 1830 onwards begin to really feel a lot much less substantial within the hand than British items, although they could have been a bit of simpler to hold round.

Nineteenth century – demise of verges

After a number of centuries of fine service, the verge begins to develop into out of date from round 1830 onwards. This transition occurs sooner in France than the UK.

Nonetheless, when it comes to males’s watches, France strikes virtually universally to what’s referred to as the “cylinder escapement”. By the 1840s-50s, most French watches are even smaller, lighter and thinner, as a consequence of this revolution. The silver content material of their circumstances additionally reduces.

Within the UK, cylinders begin to develop into extra commonplace being typically imported from Switzerland or France, nevertheless, these are largely restricted to ladies’s watches.

The UK makers recognised the tip of the verge however primarily tailored for males’s watches, a distinct escapement. That was referred to as the “English Lever” although to start with, it was nonetheless mixed with a fusee and chain.

From round 1840 onwards, you possibly can’t simply inform at a look whether or not a lady’s watch (typically referred to as a ‘fob’) is French, Swiss or British. In contrast, males’s watches are sometimes very totally different between the 2 international locations.

Within the UK, it appears clear that many males nonetheless demanded very massive, chunky and strong ‘assertion’ watches. Pair circumstances are nonetheless commonplace and dial or casing ornament is relatively uncommon. US watches additionally begin to make a beneficial impression.

In France, males’s watches are sometimes a lot smaller, lighter and extra prone to carry engraving on the case and dial ornament of 1 kind or one other.

twentieth Century

By the sooner years of the century, the verge fusee has virtually totally gone from the UK and just about is now long-dead in France.

The cylinder sweeps all earlier than it in France within the late Nineteenth century however it’s beginning to see rising problem from the escapement that can quickly develop into predominant – the “Swiss Lever”.

Many however under no circumstances all pocket watches at the moment are stem-wound within the UK and France.

Throughout WWI, pocket watches begin to lose floor to wristwatches too and by the Forties, they’ve largely gone, although even at present they proceed to be made.

French watches (many had been in actual fact mass produced in Switzerland) proceed to be smaller, lighter and thinner, than British. Their circumstances and dials stay extra ornate on common. Many additionally mirror the design affect of Artwork Nouveau and later Artwork Deco. The usage of silver declines and it’s changed by cheaper options resembling argentan (an alloy) or metal.

Within the UK, the English Lever escapement loses floor slowly to the Swiss Lever and a few cylinders. Nonetheless, stylistically, many British watches for males proceed to be bigger, heavier and extra overtly masculine in model than French. Much more are in silver than was by now the norm for mass-market watches in France.

Within the UK there’s additionally a development in the course of the Twenties-30s in the direction of thinner and finer watches for males and naturally, Artwork Nouveau and Deco each have an affect on some circumstances and dials. But on the entire, British makers concentrating on the mass-market continued to provide very conservatively-styled items that will have been recognisable to their grandparents 80 years earlier than – excluding the stem wind.

Abstract – which is greatest?

We’re talking right here primarily about visible look and magnificence, not the technical deserves of various escapement varieties. So, that is about opinion and private inclination – which means there could be no reply!

For girls’s watches, there’s a mid-Nineteenth century convergence which means that they’ve a really comparable look throughout each the UK and France. Many, circumstances and actions or actions solely, had been made in Switzerland.

It’s actually solely in male watches that you just see very vital divergence in kinds and obvious tastes, which is beginning to develop into seen within the 18th century however which turned far more pronounced round 1815-30.

When you like a really feel of solidity, plainness and a “this watch will final a lifetime”, sensation, then you definitely’ll most likely be drawn to British watches. In contrast, in case you incline in the direction of a bit of extra class, design aptitude and self-expression, then you definitely may smile extra upon French watches. One other issue some devotees of French watches cite is that they don’t really feel like they’re a brick in your pocket which is prone to pull your breeches down!

In the long run, they’re all great issues. Take pleasure in them – wherever they had been made.