Fashionable men of the Mid-Victorian era had an overwhelming number of options, when looking to accessorize the only kind of timekeeper available to them – a pocket watch.

From the staggering assortment of watch chains manufactured then, very few were in solid gold, and even fewer had the substance and style of this chain. At 13 inches long and an approximate weight of 38 grams, this example was in a class of its own.

The wearer of this type of chain would have worn it with the T-bar going through one of the vest’s buttonholes, the swivel end that attached to his pocket watch tucked inside the vest’s right pocket, and the drop section – where the fob or charm would be attached – left dangling to be admired. He would have been drawn to the reflecting quality of the large rectangular links and the finely chased oval connections. Today, the fact that these three ends are original, all functioning well, with clearly visible gold hallmarks, and links that are not overly polished are modern-era attributes that are desirable and sought after.