Francis Bryant Adams, Jr. became master only two years before making this watch, in 1848. He was a son of Francis Bryant, also a well-known watchmaker in London.

The movement is fire gilded with a fusee and chain equalizing power source, Harisson’s safety maintaining power device, English type lever escapement with fork with inserted ruby pallets, gold-set diamond end-stone on the balance, and has a well engraved and fire gilded balance bridge with a theatrical mask within scrolling.

The gold consular case was made by a master casemaker William Francis, with the dust cover as a part of the band to assure sturdiness of the case. The back cover is spring-loaded for easy access to the winding apertures.

The dial is solid gold with the center engraved with flowers and scrolling on a matted ground. There are applied gold Roman numerals on the engine turned chapter ring. The hands are gold Breguet (moon) style.

A very similar watch, although without a gold dial, cased also in Francis’ case, was in the collection of Prof. David Landes of Harvard, an author of one of the most fascinating books on watches, Revolution in Time.