Antique Late 19th C. Memento Mori Solid 800 Silver Pocket Watch – Jump Hour Dial

An exceptional and highly collectible late 19th-century Memento Mori solid silver pocket watch. Featuring a rare combination of a Macabre enamel dial and an early digital jump-hour complication, this museum-grade timepiece represents a fascinating intersection of philosophical artistry and mechanical innovation. Measuring a substantial 51.5mm, it remains in perfect preservation, offering a unique opportunity for serious horological collectors.

 The Memento Mori (Latin for “remember that you must die”) is a profound tradition in horology that dates back to the Renaissance. Watchmakers historically used skulls, skeletons, and grim reapers to remind the wearer of the fleeting nature of time and the inevitability of death. By the late 19th century, this motif saw a resurgence among elite collectors who appreciated the macabre romanticism.

Coupled with this ancient philosophical theme is a highly progressive late 19th-century mechanical innovation: the jump-hour (or early digital) display. Pioneered during this era to simplify the reading of time, the jump-hour mechanism replaces the traditional hour hand with a rotating disc, instantly “jumping” to the next numeral as the hour turns. Finding these two distinct historical elements—the traditional Memento Mori and the modern jump-hour complication—harmonized in a single, perfectly preserved watch is extraordinarily rare.

Dial & Hands The dial is a masterpiece of miniature polychrome enamel painting. It depicts a striking Danse Macabre scene featuring two skeletal figures against a classical landscape, one playing a horn and the other holding a draped cloth.

The time display is highly unconventional and technically impressive:

• The Minutes: Tracked along an outer chapter ring spanning from 1 to 60, indicated by a single, elegantly crafted central hand with gold-tone filigree detailing.

• The Hours: Displayed via a digital jump-hour style aperture at the bottom of the dial, framing crisp Roman numerals on a rotating disc (visible showing VII, VIII, IX).

Case Specifications

• Material: Solid .800 Silver

• Diameter: 51.5mm (excluding crown and bow)

• Design: The case back features crisp, immaculate engine-turned guilloché engraving radiating from a pristine, unmonogrammed central cartouche.

• Hallmarks:  the inner case back clearly stamped with the “0,800” silver purity hallmark, alongside the serial numbers 2199258 and 7210.

Movement Visible in edited-image.png, the watch is powered by a beautifully preserved, high-grade Swiss gilt mechanical movement. It features a traditional manual-wind mechanism, a lever escapement, and a bimetallic balance wheel. The regulator scale is clearly marked for precision adjustments. The movement is remarkably clean, visually demonstrating the meticulous care this timepiece has received over the past century.

Condition Report This timepiece is in perfect antique condition. The enamel dial is entirely free of hairlines, chips, or restorations—a rarity for  pieces of this age. The solid silver case retains its sharp engine-turned detailing with minimal signs of handling, and the jump-hour complication functions exactly as intended.

Please review all provided photographs carefully, as they are a vital part of the description. Feel free to reach out with any technical inquiries regarding the escapement, hallmarks, or provenance prior to bidding.