The sextant has a black-lacquered alloy frame consisting of two circular plates, the upper having an ivorine overlay. There is a wooden handle to be screwed in the lower plate. There is no tangent or clamping screw and the index arm is moved by hand. The instrument has no shades. Index- and horizon-glass adjustment is made by capstan screws with an adjusting pin shipped in the handle. The sight has one pinhole mounted within the frame.

The instrument has an ivorine scale from 0° to 90° to 0° by 30 arcminutes. The scale is read by a black indicating line in an ivorine index mark at the end of the index arm.

The sextant is contained in a square fitted wooden box, with a trade label in the lid for H. Hughes and Son. Scratched on the lid is the inscription ‘Paget Angle Sextant Used with Station Pointer’.

The Paget sextant was designed around 1892 and brought on the market by H. Hughes and Son.