The Express, an English Lever in Chester Silver, 1895

J.G. Graves of Sheffield was one of the major names of Victorian commercial watchmaking - not a maker but a mail-order retailer of great reach, who sold pocket watches to working Englishmen across the country. The "Express" English Lever was his flagship watch: a bold name, a recognisable red-and-black dial signature, and a serviceable movement inside.

This example is Chester hallmarked sterling silver, with the date letter confirmed to 1895. What sets it apart from the more common stem-wound versions is the key-wind movement - an earlier configuration that pre-dates the shift to crown winding, and one that speaks to the transitional character of late Victorian horology. The white enamel dial carries Roman numerals, gold-tone hands, and a subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock. The case back bears an engraved cartouche - blank shield with scrollwork, never personalised.

Running well, keeping good time.