An 18ct gold, half-hunter cased keyless presentation pocket watch with fine gold chain, in a leather-covered presentation box, made by Dent, London, circa 1872.

The watch has a gilt brass, three-quarter plate, keyless going barrel movement, jewelled to the centre wheel. It has a compensation balance and jewelled, ratchet tooth lever escapement with Dent's patent resilient banking. The upper plate is engraved: ‘Dent, Watchmaker to the Queen, 61 Strand & 34 Royal Exchange, London, No.35548. PATENT ESCAPEMENT’. The watch also has a white enamel dial with roman numerals and seconds dial at IX o'clock, signed under XII: ‘DENT, 61 STRAND & 34 ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDON 35548’. Polished and blued steel spade and poker hands (double-spade hour hand).

The watch is contained in an 18ct gold, double-backed half hunter case, hallmarked for London 1871-2 and with incuse serial number, as movement, and with the cameo mark ‘G.A.P.’ in an oval (for the Clerkenwell casemaker George Augustus Potter) and ‘DENT’ in a rectangle. The inner dome is engraved: ‘Presented by John Penn To William Cowen in Testimony of the Skilful and honourable Service Rendered Him for 50 Years as his Foreman Smith 1875".

Accompanying the watch is a black, tolled-leather covered presentation box marked in gilt on top: ‘DENT 61 STRAND’ and printed in gilt on the cream silk inner lining: ‘By Appointment to her Majesty the Queen & HRH the Prince of Wales DENT Chronometer Maker, 61 STRAND’. The watch is housed in a recess in the grey velvet covered base. The fine link chain is of red and white gold links, in thirteen bands.