Clocktime David Ramsay's King James Portrait Watch c1618, 02 Case & Engravings
Channel: Dr John C Taylor
Date: 2024-04-05

David Ramsay – Astrological gilt oval watch in engraved silver case with King James portrait and arms by Gérard de Heck. 

Join Dr John C Taylor OBE from the Clocktime digital museum as he discusses the case and engravings of the David Ramsay King James Portrait Watch.

Discover more about early and antique clocks and watches...

https://clocktime.co.uk/artefacts/ramsay-king-james-portrait-watch


The watch has a silver top and a silver bottom cover. And on the top, here is a picture of the King himself, whereas on the bottom there's the Royal Coat of Arms. And the top and the bottom are engraved with pictures from Ovid's Metamorphoses about the life and love of the Gods and the interaction with nymphs and humans. Livre 4 on the top cover is engraved here and on the bottom one is Livre 2. I think the interesting thing is the use of the word Livre because of course it's French for book and I think this is a further indication that the whole watch and the mechanism and the engraving was performed in France. At the bottom here there's a tiny little cherub. He's holding a scroll which has De Heck Scul. And it's short for Gérard De Heck, who was a renowned engraver, who worked on the outskirts of Paris at Blois. 

The silver band around the side of the watch here is engraved with a floral scroll and a picture on the three-side (III) of Chronos clutching his sandglass and on the nine-side (IX), a picture of St James with his sun hat and his sword at the ready. It's difficult to remember that this watch was made some 400 years ago when astrology was an important part of many people's lives. Alchemy was a respected research activity that continued throughout the 17th century and Sir Isaac Newton was one such who devoted many, many hours trying to turn base metal into gold. Truly, this watch by the foremost watch maker his age, David Ramsay, is an item fit for a King and can still amaze and delight us some 400 years later.