Novelty watch, silver inner case, pique outer case (silver and tortoiseshell with decorative pins), by Joseph Windmills (admitted to the Clockmakers’ Company in 1671, Master in 1702); London, England, c. 1690; dia. 2” (5.08 cm.).
The late 17th century produced a number of novelty watches. This example has the usual long minute hand, but the hours have been calibrated from VI to VI round a semi-circular opening in the upper half of the dial and are shown by a disc which rotates once in 24 hours bearing on one half a sun for the hours of the day and the other, a moon for the hours of the night. The aperture over the 30 minute mark is for the day of the month.
