Help please dating an 18ct gold Benson wristwatch

[John Liddy]

I am trying to date an 18ct gold wristwatch by JW Benson of London England. The watch dial shows "Swiss made". The hallmarks inside the case show the marks for 18ct imported gold, along with JWB for the maker. The assay office mark is a pair of inverted/opposed upper-case Fs, which I believe is the Glasgow assay office mark for imported gold. The date letter mark is a lower-case serif "f" inside a rectangle with all four corners truncated (making an irregular octagon).

My first thoughts were the lower-case f indicates a date of 1928. However, my research suggests that for this date and assay office, the "f" should appear within a shape which is a rectangle but with an irregular "scalloped" lower edge and sharp right-angle upper corners.

Can anyone help please to clarify this matter and/or comment on whether my proposed dating is correct. Also, can anyone advise what the mark below the serial number relates to. The mark apears to be a squat-shaped hammer. Thanks for your assistance.



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[2209patrick]

Hello and welcome.

That is the Glasgow assay mark for imported gold that was used from 1906 - 1964.
Those gold standard marks were used from 1904 to August 15, 1932.




Pat.
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[dognose]

Hi John,

The outline that you describe around the lower case 'f' date letter is that for silver. Date letters for gold, although the same as silver, have a different shaped outline.

Regards Trev.
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