Description: Gilt brass, verge fusee movement (dial plate 42.2mm, 15.3mm deep) with Tompion regulator, angled D-shaped cock with Royal coat of arms. Featuring Egyptian pillars. Later (before 1750) almost perfect, white enamelled copper dial. Watch having had a silver champlève dial at the beginning. The cock neatly engraved with the British Royal Arms and showing the motto of the Order of the Garter, ‘ONY SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE’ (shame upon him who thinks evil of it). Also engraved is the motto ‘SEMPER EADEM’ (always the same) as well as an engraved portrait in profile of Queen Anne on the cock stem.
Additional Info:
Robert Simkins, apprentice of John Beeckmann was freed of the clockmakers company the 2.5.1709. He apprenticed 4 watchmakers between 1711 and 1721.
The cock shows the coat of arms of Queen Anne after the unification of England and Scotland to the Kingdom of Great Britain. Of course the size of this cock does not permit to show all the details of the central part of the Arms where the quadrants are. This movement could have been made as commemorative piece either for the unification in 1707 or for Queen Anne, after her death in 1714. Older commemorative watches are known bearing the Royal coat of arms to commemorate the death of William III in 1702. Latter show the English coat of arms and usually don’t show portraits on the cock’s stem. One example in the British Museum (# 1958,1201.616) was made to commemorate the crowning of Queen Anne, the 8.3.1702, but the piece described here is clearly later.
It is very unlikely that this movement (and others like it) were made for the Royal household as a gift to others, as the quality of the manufacture is not as elevated as one would expect for a Royal order. Moreover, most Royal orders include the sponsor’s cypher or initials and sometimes a dedication.
Antiquarian Horology 