Skip to main content

14k Ladies Pocket Watch

14K 56 Rose Gold & Rose Cut Diamond Swan Motif Full Hunter Ladies' Pocket Watch
14K 56 Rose Gold & Rose Cut Diamond Swan Motif Full Hunter Ladies' Pocket Watch

14K 56 Rose Gold & Rose Cut Diamond Swan Motif Full Hunter Ladies' Pocket Watch

Located in MELBOURNE, AU

Exquisitely crafted in 14K Rose Gold, this delightful antique ladies’ pocket watch was originally made for Russian market, bearing a typical 56 Russian stamp “standard” for 14K Go...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Swiss Russian Empire Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold, Rose Gold

Ladies 14KT Bi-Color Gold Mesh Pocket Watch Chain or Necklace, Victorian 19th c
Ladies 14KT Bi-Color Gold Mesh Pocket Watch Chain or Necklace, Victorian 19th c

Ladies 14KT Bi-Color Gold Mesh Pocket Watch Chain or Necklace, Victorian 19th c

Located in valatie, NY

An Extremely Fine Ladies 14KT Bi-Color Gold Mesh Pocket Watch Chain or Lariat Necklace, 19th c Victorian.

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century American Victorian Chain Necklaces

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Recent Sales

14 Karat Gold American Watch Co. Waltham Full Hunter Ladies Size Pocket Watch
14 Karat Gold American Watch Co. Waltham Full Hunter Ladies Size Pocket Watch

14 Karat Gold American Watch Co. Waltham Full Hunter Ladies Size Pocket Watch

By American Waltham Watch Co.

Located in Carlisle, GB

Antique 14K Gold American Watch Co. Waltham Full Hunter Ladies Size Pocket Watch.

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, Enamel, Gold

Small 14 Karat Gold Antique Ladies Pocket Watch
Small 14 Karat Gold Antique Ladies Pocket Watch

Small 14 Karat Gold Antique Ladies Pocket Watch

Located in Carlisle, GB

This 14K Gold & engine turned case small pocket watch is in good working condition and it is recently been serviced and runs well. Good time keeping. Visible signs of ageing and wear...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, Enamel, Gold

14 Karat Gold Antique Pin Set and Hand Winding Ladies Fob / Pocket Watch
14 Karat Gold Antique Pin Set and Hand Winding Ladies Fob / Pocket Watch

14 Karat Gold Antique Pin Set and Hand Winding Ladies Fob / Pocket Watch

Located in Carlisle, GB

This beautiful 33mm diameter antique mechanical gold ladies watch is in good working condition and it is running well. Visible signs of ageing and wear with light marks on the glass ...

Category

Antique 1880s Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, Enamel, Gold

14 Karat Gold and Diamonds Red Enamel Mechanical Ladies Fob or Brooch Watch
14 Karat Gold and Diamonds Red Enamel Mechanical Ladies Fob or Brooch Watch

14 Karat Gold and Diamonds Red Enamel Mechanical Ladies Fob or Brooch Watch

Located in Carlisle, GB

This beautiful antique 28mm diameter hand winding gold and diamond ladies brooch watch is in good working condition and it is running well. Visible signs of ageing and wear with ligh...

Category

Antique Early 1900s French Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold, Enamel, Gold

Waltham 14K Tri Gold Ladies Pendant Pocket Watch
Waltham 14K Tri Gold Ladies Pendant Pocket Watch

Waltham 14K Tri Gold Ladies Pendant Pocket Watch

By American Waltham Watch Co.

Located in Dallas, TX

Waltham 14K Tri Gold Ladies Pendant Pocket Watch - Manual winding. 14K Yellow Gold, Rose Gold and Green Gold ornate case (34 mm ).

Category

Antique 19th Century American Pocket Watches

Patek Philippe Ladies Multi Color Gold Pocket Watch
Patek Philippe Ladies Multi Color Gold Pocket Watch

Patek Philippe Ladies Multi Color Gold Pocket Watch

By Patek Philippe

Located in Chicago, IL

Circa 1880s Patek Philippe for M. Schooler New Orleans Pocket Watch. 38 M.M. 14K Multi Color, applied decorations Hunting case with inside Gold Dust cover Cuvette. 18 Jewel Mechanica...

Category

Antique 1880s Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

Gold, 14k Gold

Waltham 14 Karat Yellow Gold Ladies Pocket Watch
Waltham 14 Karat Yellow Gold Ladies Pocket Watch

Waltham 14 Karat Yellow Gold Ladies Pocket Watch

Located in Scottsdale, AZ

Movement: manual wind Function: hours, minutes, sub seconds Case: 29mm 14k yellow gold case, plastic crystal, solid case back Dial: white dial, black hands, arabic numeral hour mark...

Category

20th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

1886 14 Karat Gold Diamond Ladies Pocket Watch Pendant
1886 14 Karat Gold Diamond Ladies Pocket Watch Pendant

1886 14 Karat Gold Diamond Ladies Pocket Watch Pendant

By Elgin

Located in Birmingham, AL

This 14k gold pocket watch features a hunter's case which is hand engraved and decorated with a design in rose, yellow, white and green gold design. In the center of the design on on...

Category

Antique 1880s American Victorian Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, White Diamond, 14k Gold

Antique Edwardian 14k Yellow Gold & Enamel Pocket Watch
Antique Edwardian 14k Yellow Gold & Enamel Pocket Watch

Antique Edwardian 14k Yellow Gold & Enamel Pocket Watch

Located in ADELAIDE, SA

The scrolled hands in yellow gold complete the facing. Crafted in 14k gold full hunting Ladies’ pocket watch. The case is engraved with ‘Remontoir patent 10 Rubis’, case no 325319.

Category

Antique Early 1900s Edwardian Pocket Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold, Enamel

1900s Antique Yellow Gold Ladies Fob Watch
1900s Antique Yellow Gold Ladies Fob Watch

1900s Antique Yellow Gold Ladies Fob Watch

Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne

A fine and impressive antique Austrian 14 karat gold ladies' fob watch; part of our diverse watch collections. This fine and impressive Austrian ladies' antique watch has been craft...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Austrian Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

14K Gold Edwardian Elgin Ladies Pocket Watch, 1904
14K Gold Edwardian Elgin Ladies Pocket Watch, 1904

14K Gold Edwardian Elgin Ladies Pocket Watch, 1904

Located in Venice, CA

This Edwardian pocket watch is a treasure that dates to 1904. It is an Elgin watch in excellent working condition, with beautiful detail and intricate mechanical design. The attracti...

Category

20th Century American Edwardian Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold

Elgin Ladies Yellow Gold Ornately Engraved Antique Manual Pocket Watch
Elgin Ladies Yellow Gold Ornately Engraved Antique Manual Pocket Watch

Elgin Ladies Yellow Gold Ornately Engraved Antique Manual Pocket Watch

By Elgin

Located in Dallas, TX

Elgin 14k Sold Gold Ornately Engraved Ladies Antique Pocket Watch - Manual winding. 14k solid gold engraved case (34mm diameter).

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold

Elgin Ladies Yellow Gold Diamond Pocket or Pendant Manual Winding Watch
Elgin Ladies Yellow Gold Diamond Pocket or Pendant Manual Winding Watch

Elgin Ladies Yellow Gold Diamond Pocket or Pendant Manual Winding Watch

By Elgin

Located in Dallas, TX

Elgin Ladies Yellow Gold Diamond Pocket or Pendant Watch - Manual winding 15 jewels. Yellow gold with bale; engraved HC on front with 3 first names engraved inside; beautiful design...

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold

Tiffany & Co. Ladies Yellow Gold Brooch Watch, circa 1950s
Tiffany & Co. Ladies Yellow Gold Brooch Watch, circa 1950s

Tiffany & Co. Ladies Yellow Gold Brooch Watch, circa 1950s

By Tiffany & Co.

Located in Dallas, TX

Manual-winding. 14k yellow gold case. Inside back of case signed Concord (12mm x 18mm). Ivory-colored dial, signed Tiffany & Co., with gold markers and Arabic numerals. This lovely l...

Category

Vintage 1950s Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Victorian Watch Chain with LG Pearl Slide 29dwt
Victorian Watch Chain with LG Pearl Slide 29dwt

Victorian Watch Chain with LG Pearl Slide 29dwt

Located in Big Bend, WI

Victorian ladies 14K yellow gold pocket watch chain measuring about 60" long.

Category

Antique Late 18th Century Chain Necklaces

Gold Bird Motif Multi Color Ladies Pocket Watch
Gold Bird Motif Multi Color Ladies Pocket Watch

Gold Bird Motif Multi Color Ladies Pocket Watch

By Waltham Watch Company

Located in Boston, MA

Beacon Hill Jewelers Presents: A fantastic antique victorian period multi color 14 karat solid gold ladies Waltham pocket watch. Featuring a beautiful hand engraved bird, this mul...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold

People Also Browsed

Antique Waltham Amn. Watch Co. Grade 18k Yellow Gold 16j Size 8s Pocket Watch
Antique Waltham Amn. Watch Co. Grade 18k Yellow Gold 16j Size 8s Pocket Watch

Antique Waltham Amn. Watch Co. Grade 18k Yellow Gold 16j Size 8s Pocket Watch

By Waltham

Located in Montclair, NJ

Here we have an absolutely gorgeous, antique American Waltham pocket watch featuring a solid 18k gold case. The case is magnificently hand etched with floral patterns throughout. The...

Category

Antique 19th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold

Antique Ladies Hunter Elgin 4 Color Gold Pocket Watch and 18k Gold Chain
Antique Ladies Hunter Elgin 4 Color Gold Pocket Watch and 18k Gold Chain

Antique Ladies Hunter Elgin 4 Color Gold Pocket Watch and 18k Gold Chain

By Elgin

Located in New York, NY

This exquisite Antique 14k four color gold hunter case pocket watch made by the Elgin Company around 1908 (based on movement serial # 13333340) features an elaborately decorated 14 c...

Category

Antique Early 1900s American Late Victorian Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold

Antique 14K Yellow Gold Lady's Hunting Watch W/ Chain  by Waltham Watch Co. 1888
Antique 14K Yellow Gold Lady's Hunting Watch W/ Chain  by Waltham Watch Co. 1888

Antique 14K Yellow Gold Lady's Hunting Watch W/ Chain by Waltham Watch Co. 1888

By American Waltham Watch Co.

Located in New York, NY

This striking antique 14K Yellow Gold Lady’s Hunting Watch w/Fob by Waltham Watch Co. 1888 retains its original gold case, movement and dial work, an exquisite addition to a collecti...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold

Patek Philippe Savonnette Pocket Watch Triple Signed 18 Karat Yellow Gold 1891
Patek Philippe Savonnette Pocket Watch Triple Signed 18 Karat Yellow Gold 1891

Patek Philippe Savonnette Pocket Watch Triple Signed 18 Karat Yellow Gold 1891

By Patek Philippe

Located in Baltimore, MD

Patek Philippe Savonnette Pocket Watch Triple Signed 18 Karat Yellow Gold 1891 Metal: 18k yellow gold Weight: 65.3 grams Case: 47mm, 57mm to end of crown stem Serial: 256368 Signed...

Category

Antique 1890s Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

18k Gold, Yellow Gold

Tiffany & Co Vintage Solid 14k Zodiac Pendant Watch Movement by Concord. 1960's
Tiffany & Co Vintage Solid 14k Zodiac Pendant Watch Movement by Concord. 1960's

Tiffany & Co Vintage Solid 14k Zodiac Pendant Watch Movement by Concord. 1960's

Located in Hong Kong, HK

Please check out the HD video. The 14k Gold Tiffany & Co pendant watch was made in the late 1960's-1970's, when the "age of Aquarius" was popular in music and culture. The 12 Zodiac ...

Category

Vintage 1960s Unknown Pendant Necklaces

Materials

Gold, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold

Antique 14k Gold Pendant Watch, Enamel Putti & Diamonds, Switzerland, C. 1870
Antique 14k Gold Pendant Watch, Enamel Putti & Diamonds, Switzerland, C. 1870

Antique 14k Gold Pendant Watch, Enamel Putti & Diamonds, Switzerland, C. 1870

Located in Chatham, CA

Antique Swiss 14K yellow gold pendant watch - elaborate double hunter case with hand tooling to the front and back - hand painted enamels of putti playing 'Boules' - set with eight o...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Neoclassical Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

XIX Century Open-Face Gold Pocket Watch R. Stewart
XIX Century Open-Face Gold Pocket Watch R. Stewart

XIX Century Open-Face Gold Pocket Watch R. Stewart

Located in Neguri, Vizcaya

XIX Century Open-face Gold Pocket Watch R. STEWART, Argyle & Buchanan Sts., Glasgow, #16044. Beautiful 43m/1.69in gold case with a thorough ornamental floral engraving with vegetatio...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Scottish Pocket Watches

Materials

Ruby, Gold

Herna 14K YG  Pocket Watch with 18K Gold Engraving Hinged Cover
Herna 14K YG  Pocket Watch with 18K Gold Engraving Hinged Cover

Herna 14K YG Pocket Watch with 18K Gold Engraving Hinged Cover

Located in New York, NY

Vintage Herna 14K yellow gold pocket watch pendant with 18K yellow gold engraving on both side hinged cover and a 17 jewels incabloc shock protection Swiss made manual wind movement ...

Category

Vintage 1960s Swiss Modern Pocket Watches

Materials

14k Gold, 18k Gold

Antique Pocket Watch
Antique Pocket Watch

Antique Pocket Watch

Located in Geneva, CH

Pocket watch in gilded metal. Height: 6.80 centimeters. We do not guarantee the functioning of this watch.

Category

Early 20th Century Pocket Watches

18 Karat Gold, Tiffany & Co Enamelled Pendant Watch on Chain
18 Karat Gold, Tiffany & Co Enamelled Pendant Watch on Chain

18 Karat Gold, Tiffany & Co Enamelled Pendant Watch on Chain

By Tiffany & Co.

Located in Brisbane City, QLD

This Art Nouveau pendant watch on chain was made for Tiffany & Co for retail in the United States. The watch hangs from a yellow gold filled curb link chain that has a swivel type cl...

Category

Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Pocket Watches

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Gold-filled, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Antique Victorian Thomas Russell & Sons Pocket Watch in 18ct Yellow Gold
Antique Victorian Thomas Russell & Sons Pocket Watch in 18ct Yellow Gold

Antique Victorian Thomas Russell & Sons Pocket Watch in 18ct Yellow Gold

By Thomas Russell & Son

Located in London, GB

This pocket watch is made of 18ct Yellow Gold and has a Gold dial. It was made by Thomas Russell in England in 1878. The watch is in perfect working order. It is a very rare collecta...

Category

Late 20th Century Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

Yellow Gold, 18k Gold

French Blue Enamel Diamond Pendant Watch
French Blue Enamel Diamond Pendant Watch

French Blue Enamel Diamond Pendant Watch

Located in New York, NY

French blue enamel and diamond pendant watch, circa 1880s Open face watch with one pearl and old mine cut rough diamonds, enamel dial with Roman numerals; marked 24388; inscribed "F...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Gold

Antique Victorian Yellow Gold Rose Cut Enamel Brooch Montreux Pocket Watch Set
Antique Victorian Yellow Gold Rose Cut Enamel Brooch Montreux Pocket Watch Set

Antique Victorian Yellow Gold Rose Cut Enamel Brooch Montreux Pocket Watch Set

Located in Houston, TX

Gender: Unisex Metal Type: 18K Yellow Gold Watch Thick: 10.50 mm Watch Diameter: 24.50 mm Brooch Length: 2.00 inches Brooch Width: 1.25 mm Brooch Weight: 21.68 Grams Watch Wei...

Category

Antique 19th Century Unknown Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Enamel

Paul Ditisheim “Solvil” Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Pocket Watch
Paul Ditisheim “Solvil” Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Pocket Watch

Paul Ditisheim “Solvil” Art Deco Platinum and Diamond Pocket Watch

By Paul Ditisheim

Located in New York, NY

An exceptional Art Deco platinum and diamond pocket watch by Paul Ditisheim, founder of the prestigious Solvil manufacture, created during the golden age of high Swiss horology and e...

Category

Vintage 1920s Swiss Art Deco Pocket Watches

Materials

Diamond, Platinum

J. F. Bautte & Cie. A Rare Gold & Enamel Jump Hour Pocket Watch C1810
J. F. Bautte & Cie. A Rare Gold & Enamel Jump Hour Pocket Watch C1810

J. F. Bautte & Cie. A Rare Gold & Enamel Jump Hour Pocket Watch C1810

Located in Mayfair, London, London

J. F. Bautte & Cie. A Rare Gold & Enamel Female Winding Ultra Slim Jump Hour Pocket Watch with it's Original Box C1810 Dial: The silver highly engraved dial, with small rou...

Category

Antique 1810s Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Enamel

A Swiss Perpetual Minute Repeater Chronograph Full Hunter Pocket Watch C1900
A Swiss Perpetual Minute Repeater Chronograph Full Hunter Pocket Watch C1900

A Swiss Perpetual Minute Repeater Chronograph Full Hunter Pocket Watch C1900

Located in Mayfair, London, London

A Swiss 18ct Rose Gold Perpetual Calendar Minute Repeater Chronograph Full Hunter Keyless Lever Pocket Watch C1900 Dial: The perfect white enamel dial with Arabic numerals outer min...

Category

Antique 19th Century Swiss Pocket Watches

Materials

18k Gold, Rose Gold

Get Updated with New Arrivals
Save "14k Ladies Pocket Watch", and we’ll notify you when there are new listings in this category.

14k Ladies Pocket Watch For Sale on 1stDibs

Surely you’ll find the exact 14k ladies pocket watch you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from 14k Gold, Gold and Enamel — can elevate any look. You’re likely to find the perfect 14k ladies pocket watch among the distinctive items we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 19th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 20th Century. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic 14k ladies pocket watch over the years, but those made by Elgin, Tiffany & Co. and American Waltham Watch Co. are often thought to be among the most beautiful. Take a look at a 14k ladies pocket watch featuring Diamond from our inventory today to add the perfect touch to your look. Today, if you’re looking for a ball cut version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes alternatives. Finding a 14k ladies pocket watch for sale for women should be easy, but there are 6 pieces available to browse for unisex as well as men, too.

How Much is a 14k Ladies Pocket Watch?

Prices for a 14k ladies pocket watch can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $605 and can go as high as $2,460, while this accessory, on average, fetches $1,698.

Why Gold Shines in Jewelry Craftsmanship

Gold is the feel-good metal, the serotonin of jewelry. Wear vintage and antique gold necklaces, watches, gold bracelets or gold rings and you feel happy, you feel dressed, you feel, well, yourself. 

Gold, especially yellow gold, with its rich patina and ancient pedigree going back thousands of years, is the steady standby, the well-mannered metal of choice. Any discussion of this lustrous metal comes down to a basic truth: Gold is elementary, my dear. Gold jewelry that couples the mystique of the metal with superb design and craftsmanship achieves the status of an enduring classic. Many luxury houses have given us some of our most treasured and lasting examples of gold jewelry over the years.

Since its founding, in 1837, Tiffany & Co. has built its reputation on its company jewelry as well as its coterie of boutique designers, which has included Jean Schlumberger, Donald Claflin, Angela Cummings and Elsa Peretti. There are numerous gold Tiffany classics worth citing. Some are accented with gemstones, but all stand out for their design and the workmanship displayed.

For the woman who prefers a minimalist look, the Tiffany & Co. twist bangle (thin, slightly ovoid) is stylishly simple. For Cummings devotees, signature pieces feature hard stone inlay, such as her pairs of gold ear clips inlaid with black jade (a play on the classic Chanel black and tan), or bangles whose design recalls ocean waves, with undulating lines of lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. And just about any design by the great Jean Schlumberger is by definition a classic.

Even had he eschewed stones and diamonds, Southern-born David Webb would be hailed for the vast arsenal of heavy gold jewelry he designed. Gold, usually hammered or textured in some manner, defines great David Webb jewelry. The self-taught jeweler made very au courant pieces while drawing inspiration from ancient and out-of-the-way sources — East meets West in the commanding gold necklaces made by Webb in the early 1970s. The same could be said for his endlessly varied gold cuffs.

In Europe, many houses have given us gold jewelry that sets the highest standard for excellence, pieces that were highly sought after when they were made and continue to be so. 

Numerous designs from Cartier are homages to gold. There are the classic Trinity rings, necklaces and bracelets — trifectas of yellow, white and rose gold. As a testament to the power of love, consider the endurance of the Cartier Love bracelet.

Aldo Cipullo, Cartier’s top in-house designer from the late 1960s into the early ’70s, made history in 1969 with the Love bracelet. Cipullo frequently said that the Love bracelet was born of a sleepless night contemplating a love affair gone wrong and his realization that “the only remnants he possessed of the romance were memories.” He distilled the urge to keep a loved one close into a slim 18-karat gold bangle. 

BVLGARI and its coin jewelry, gemme nummarie, hit the jackpot when the line launched in the 1960s. The line has been perennially popular. BVLGARI coin jewelry features ancient Greek and Roman coins embedded in striking gold mounts, usually hung on thick link necklaces of varying lengths. In the 1970s, BVLGARI introduced the Tubogas line, most often made in yellow gold. The Tubogas watches are classics, and then there is the Serpenti, the house's outstanding snake-themed watches and bracelets.

A collection called Monete that incorporated the gold coins is one of several iconic BVLGARI lines that debuted in the 1970s and ’80s, catering to a new generation of empowered women. Just as designers like Halston and Yves Saint Laurent were popularizing fuss-free ready-to-wear fashion for women on the go, BVLGARI offered jewels to be lived in

Since Van Cleef & Arpels opened its Place Vendôme doors in 1906, collection after collection of jewelry classics have enchanted the public. As predominantly expressed in a honeycomb of gold, there is the Ludo watch and accessories, circa the 1920s, and the golden Zip necklace, 1951, whose ingenious transformation of the traditional zipper was originally proposed by the Duchess of Windsor. Van Cleef's Alhambra, with its Moroccan motif, was introduced in 1968 and from the start its popularity pivoted on royalty and celebrity status. It remains one of VCA’s most popular and collected styles.

Mention must be made of Buccellati, whose name is synonymous with gold so finely spun that it suggests tapestry. The house’s many gold bracelets, typically embellished with a few or many diamonds, signified taste and distinction and are always in favor on the secondary market. Other important mid-20th-century houses known for their gold-themed jewelry include Hermès and Ilias Lalaounis.

Find a stunning collection of vintage and antique gold jewelry on 1stDibs.

Finding the Right Pocket-watches for You

Can you pull off a vintage pocket watch? Of course you can. With a suit and a waistcoat, a pocket watch can be a refreshing alternative to a wristwatch.

The earliest pocket watches were luxury items, and, owing to cost, they weren’t commonplace until the 19th century. Artfully crafted pocket watches were a symbol of wealth, and manufacturers such as Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe became known for theirs. (Today, they’re among the most sought after by collectors and enthusiasts.)

At the onset, pocket watches resembled small round table clocks, and pulling your small round table clock — perhaps of the silver variety — out of your breast pocket in front of someone else demonstrated unequivocally that you cared about punctuality. For collectors, pocket watches are big, and that means a larger canvas provided for functions without crowding the dial. For example, the Marius Lecoultre pocket watch — made circa 1890 — does everything but uncork your wine.

In the late 1800s, the open-face pocket watch became a staple on the American railroad. It was a requirement for railway workers to wear a pocket watch, as the timepieces were responsible for keeping conductors on schedule. This was a boon to the watchmaking industry, with companies like Hamilton, the Elgin National Watch Company and the Waltham Watch Company producing high-grade and workingman’s watches.

By the 1930s, wristwatches comprised the bulk of watch manufacturing in America, superseding the pocket watch. Suddenly, if you wanted to know the time, you merely glanced at your wrist. But given their vintage charm and our general appetite for good design, pocket watches are a piece of statement-making jewelry and today can prove complementary to your formal attire in a manner that is stylish and unconventional.

Let time take its course — browse a vast selection of antique and vintage pocket watches available on 1stDibs designed by legendary brands such as IWC, Cartier and more.