top of page
Dial and hands

Dial and hands

Almost impossibly slender hands and faultless enamel dial. Unusual positioning of the seconds dial, until you realise it is in the right place for an open face watch with winding stem at 12 o'clock

Front of full hunter case

Front of full hunter case

Back of full hunter case

Back of full hunter case

Engine turning showing very little wear

Movement with back cover removed

Movement with back cover removed

Ezekiel Emanuel was a well respected gold and silversmith in Victorian Portsmouth. Unusually for a retailer outside London, he held the Royal Warrant and would have served customers from the Royal Navy from the shop on The Hard, right outside the dockyard. He eventually became Mayor, but only after a law was passed in Parliament to allow Jews to hold that office. His notable achievements included the draining of swamp land at Southsea, which is now Portsmouth's most affluent area.

Detail of balance

Detail of balance

Nicole Nielsen used pop-off covers to discourage unnecessary opening and therefore risk of dust in the movement. This also meant that separate dust covers were redundant, and the whole watch could be made slimmer.

Showing the pin for hand setting

Showing the pin for hand setting

The whole watch is beautifully proportioned and understated. The pin hardly interrupts the slim lines.

Case maker's mark and hallmarks

Case maker's mark and hallmarks

Case made by Adolphe Nicole, and a testament to his fine work that has survived without a dent, barely a scratch and no wear to the engine turning.

bottom of page