Robert Roskell, Liverpool, No. 74450, Preston Manufacture, ca. 1895.
A rare and fine Robert Roskell fob watch movement
Prescot – Lancashire manufactured, ca. 1895.
Robert Roskell, Liverpool. The most famous Liverpool retailer and manufacturer of hi-grade all English made pocket watch movements in Preston, Lancashire. Robert Roskell was traditionally associated with his partner Peter Litherland, who made the manufacture famous for the quality of its verge escapements (rack lever escapement). By the late 1890s, during the range of this watch’s serial number, the firm of Robert Roskell began an association with Nicole, Nielsen & Co. This latter being one of the preeminent London based watch manufacturers of England.
Movement Highlights:
Movement: 2 Size (31.3mm diameter) 3/4 plate, 0/5 marking on designating the thickness of the movement. Hand gilded and hand-engraved plates. Solid and massive polished brass chaton for mainspring supported by three blued screws. Mainplate also has a special raised inner lip for extra mainspring support. Beautiful contrast of hand-blued steel screws with a mix of black (mirror) polished, snailing, and brushed winding ratchets and setting springs. Bright brass screw set chatons with blood-red ruby jewels.
Balance cock: Hand-engraved minimalist Fast and Slow designation. Diamond styled style extremely fine finished hairspring stud.
Escapement: Finely finished pallet shape escape lever. Single-roller escape pin. Solid gold escape wheel. Red-gold massive balance wheel screws. Balance wheel with hand finished special balance arm ‘heels’ as seen in high-grade balances.
Keyless winding: Traditional English pinion gear winding with pin set time setting. Superbly finished solid steel wheels with satin and snailing finish. All screws are hand-blued.
Train: Solid brass gilded train with thick hand finished steel pinions. Safety work on mainspring barrel hidden under the 3/4 plate.
Jewels: 19 Jewels – balance work (5), escape lever (2), escapement bridge (8), fourth wheel (2), third wheel (2).
Coggiola Watch Roma Wristwatch Case & Restoration Work:
Solid aluminum case reacts to the owner’s lifestyle. The aluminum while rigid will take on the marks of use and will form a character of its own.
Hand manufactured case and parts in Rome, Italy:
Case: 3-part solid aluminum formed by bezel, case-lugs, and stem sleeve.
Stem, crown, and setting: 6-part steel, stainless steel and aluminum. Stem formed by steel ratchet wheel, steel stem, stainless screw. Crown is solid aluminum, and stainless steel high-polished stud screw. Setting pusher is made of turned stainless steel.
Dial: Brass, hand turned.
Hands: Steel, hand turned and shaped.
Buckle: 7-piece Aluminum and stainless steel. Aluminum frame, stainless steel screws.
Case dimensions:
Diameter, without crown: 40.6mm
Lug to lug: 43.8mm
Height, including crystal: 12.2mm
Strap: 22mm width. Length: Normal. ColaReb Roma, Italy. Hand-stitched leather strap made in Rome.
Restoration work: The movement was very poorly stored and suffered from being encrusted with dirt. The entire movement was cleaned and finishing to parts restored, including the removal of dirt. A new mainspring was placed.
Particularities when handling this watch: Has a strong mainspring and when winding it presents considerably more resistance than a vintage wristwatch. Set and wind with care as the watch is Aluminum and it is considerably softer than stainless or brass. If the crown seems stuck, simply reverse direction for one or two rotations. The same goes for setting the time. It is best to set the time counter-clockwise.
Case care instructions: Do not use abrasives to clean the case. The watch is not water proof.