Norton London Fusee

[GD1]

I recently picked up a pair case fusee marked on both the dial and movement Norton and London. Case is not hallmarked in any way, appears to be silver but not sure. I read somewehere that the Swiss copied or faked Nortons. Any way to tell for sure whether this watch is original or a swiss fake? Thanks for any help.

[GD1]

I recently picked up a pair case fusee marked on both the dial and movement Norton and London. Case is not hallmarked in any way, appears to be silver but not sure. I read somewehere that the Swiss copied or faked Nortons. Any way to tell for sure whether this watch is original or a swiss fake? Thanks for any help.

[Jerry Matthews]

A photo would obviously help answer your question. But personally, I would be very suspicious of an English-made watch with no kind of hallmark.

Jerry

[Oliver Mundy]

Besides the useful clue of the absence of a hallmark (mentioned by Jerry), here are a few more signs of a Swiss forgery: -

1. The balance-cock is usually of the European type, without a separate foot and held by two small screws through the rim of the table.

2. There is no serial number on the backplate.

3. The outer end of the verge-staff is retained by a steel plate with two tiny adjuster-screws in it, rather than the English arrangement of a brass plug.

4. Very often, the pillars are hexagonal in cross-section - a style virtually unknown in Britain.

Oliver Mundy.

[GD1]

Thanks, per your suggestions, I'm pretty sure it's a Swiss copy.

[rpnewman]

Jerzy Ganczarczyk wrote a very informative article on Swiss fakes in the NAWCC Bulletin, No. 344 (June 2003).