Oversize Antique Gunmetal Pocket Watch | Full Calendar & Moon Phase World Map

A monumental Swiss masterpiece featuring an intricate world map engraving, French calendar complications, and exceptional provenance-ready aesthetic.

Item Specifics:

• Era: c. 1890s

• Case Material: Gunmetal with Gilt brass foliate engraved accents

• Case Size: 66mm (Oversize / Massive)

• Dial: White enamel featuring Arabic numerals and French calendar sub-dials

• Movement: High-grade Swiss mechanical, manual wind (pin-set)

• Complications: Full Calendar (Day, Date, Month), Moonphase, Sub-seconds

• Condition: Perfect, collector-grade working condition

Description:

An extraordinary opportunity to acquire a museum-grade, highly complicated timepiece from the late 19th century. Measuring a massive 66mm in diameter, this oversize pocket watch commands immediate attention, offering a substantial weight and a striking visual contrast between the deep gunmetal case and the opulent, hand-engraved rose gold-toned bezels.

The Dial & Complications: The white enamel dial is a triumph of complex horology. It is elegantly laid out with Arabic numerals tracking the time, accompanied by beautifully ornate, gold-toned Louis XV-style hands. The watch boasts a full calendar layout with indications in French:

• 12 o’clock: Month indicator (JAN, FEV, MAR…)

• 3 o’clock: Day of the week (LUN, MAR, MER…)

• 9 o’clock: Date indicator (1-31)

• 6 o’clock: A stunning moonphase aperture set against a dark blue, star-studded enamel sky, sharing the register with a sub-seconds sweep.

The Case & Engraving: The reverse of the watch elevates it from a mere timepiece to a historical artifact. The case back is masterfully engraved with a detailed world map and a classic compass rose. The precision of the cartography, combined with the rugged gunmetal finish, suggests a piece originally commissioned for a high-ranking naval officer, global merchant, or a figure involved in late 19th-century international exploration. The borders are framed in a deeply chased, rose gold-finished foliate pattern that perfectly frames the stark gunmetal center.

The Movement: Opening the back reveals a meticulously preserved, high-grade Swiss mechanical movement. The architecture is clean, featuring exposed gears and precision jeweling indicative of top-tier manufacturing from the 1890s. The watch utilizes a classic pin-set mechanism (located near the 1 o’clock position on the bezel) to adjust the hands.

Historical Context & Collector’s Note:

During the 1890s, the world was rapidly shrinking due to advancements in maritime navigation and global trade. Oversize “goliath” watches featuring highly complex calendar and astronomical complications were incredibly expensive to produce and were strictly the domain of the elite. The prominent world map and compass engraving tie this piece directly to the era’s golden age of global expansion. Watches with this level of complication, maintaining this perfect state of preservation, and featuring such distinct thematic engravings are exceptionally rare on the open market.

This is an uncompromising addition for the serious collector of esoteric, military, or historically significant antique timepieces.

Condition Report: This piece is described as perfect. The enamel dial is well preserved with a very small  hairline (the kiss of the ages). The case hinges are tight, the engraving remains crisp, and the movement is clean and fully operational.

Please review all high-resolution images closely as they form a major part of the description. The watch comes with an APPRAISAL FOR $3800