Unique gold watch given to Admiral Lord Nelson just before his death at the battle of Trafalgar sale and could fetch £400,000

A unique gold watch given to Admiral Lord Nelson just before his death at the battle of Trafalgar is for sale and could fetch £400,000.

The Victory Watch was designed especially for Nelson by Irish-born watchmaker James McCabe who established his business in London in 1775.

It was commissioned by the officers of HMS Victory as a gift to Nelson after a perilous two-year long tour of duty, to thank him for his exceptional stewardship which had saved their lives on many occasions.

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It was engraved with ‘Pres. to Adml. Lord Nelson By the Officers of HMS Victory Aug 20 1805’.

It is the date when Nelson and his crew had arrived back in Portsmouth from a pursuit of the enemy across the seas which had started over two years earlier in May 1803, as reported by What’s The Jam.

Its listing says: “The Victory Watch is unique and was presented to Nelson just before he set off for his last and fateful tour of duty on HMS Victory, on 14 September 1805, heading towards Cape Trafalgar, along the southwest coast of Spain.

“Although he defeated the Franco-Spanish naval army at Trafalgar, bravely and masterfully preventing them from invading England, he famously did so at the cost of his life, on 21 October 1805.

“The timing of the presentation of the watch to Nelson is not precisely recorded but highly symbolic.

“It could only have been between 20 August 1805 and 14 September 1805, meaning at the end of his first tour of duty on HMS Victory.

“Before the start of his second and last tour of duty and within the month he spent in Surrey at Merton Place, with his mistress Emma, Lady Hamilton, the love of his life, who had finally been accepted by society.

“A brief moment of bliss and respite between two critically important moments in European history.

“It is assumed that Nelson didn’t take the watch with him on HMS Victory as it was not recorded as part of his belongings on the ship when his body was returned to England.

“The most likely reason was that the decorative richness and mechanical sophistication of the watch was designed to delight – it played tunes – more than time keep and so it wouldn’t have been the optimum choice of watch for the demanding conditions of active service.

“The watch is a gilt metal, gold and enamel four train quarter striking musical chaise watch playing two tunes, with alarm, moon age and flying fifths.”

James McCabe, founder of the renowned London watchmaking family, was born around 1748 in Ireland, in Lurgan near Belfast.

He was active in Belfast by about 1770, where early watches signed “James McCabe, Belfast” are recorded, before moving to London early in 1775.

McCabe quickly gained a reputation for fine watchmaking, in 1781 he was admitted as an Honorary Freeman of the Clockmakers’ Company.

The watch is being without reserve by Sotheby’s, London and has an estimate of £200,000 to £400,000.

The sale closes on 17 December.

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