SILVER-LUG Blog

Barnard Family, Britain's oldest silver workshop The Barnard family was a British silversmith ...

In a previous article, we covered British silver hallmarks in detail.
Silver products from other countries also have a hallmark system and are stamped.
There are many cases where there are not as many detailed systems and systems as in the UK, but here are some representative ones.

In another article, I talked about pocket watch dials, but hands are also a very important part of watch design. Moreover, it is the most visible part of a watch because it cannot tell the time, which is the original role of a watch, unless you look at the hands.
Various designs and ingenuity have been devised in consideration of not only the design but also the ease of viewing the time.

The dial of a watch is also called the face. It is an important part that literally becomes the face of the watch.
Here, we will explain the design, material, and decoration of antique pocket watch dials.

Period division is a term used to classify antiques according to the year of manufacture. Britain's eras are named after the king who ruled over them.

Since it greatly reflects the background of the era and the tastes of the king at that time, the style changes with each era.

Pocket watches are divided into types such as open face and hunter, depending on the shape of the case.

In addition, although the names of each part are basically the same as those of wristwatches, there are also parts that are unique to pocketwatches, such as pendants and lids.

All British made silver products have a small stamp called a hallmark.
When it comes to pocket watches, the silver cases of British watches are also engraved.

European silver products have hallmarks, stamped with marks to certify purity, etc., and these are said to date back to the Eastern Roman Empire in the 4th century.
The British hallmark system was established by law during the reign of Edward I in the 14th century, and silver products were required to be sterling silver (92.5% purity).