Website under development
EUR
€
X

We have launched our new website. Some work is still in progress, and online purchasing will not be available during the first few weeks. Orders can currently be placed by email only. We expect this to be resolved as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Home
Glossary
Pinchbeck

Pinchbeck

This glossary entry has not yet been updated and is under review.

Pinchbeck, Christopher (1670-1732)

A London watchmaker who invented, c. 1720, pinchbeck, an alloy to imitate gold and that was named after him. He was a prominent maker of watches and clocks, as well as musical automata. He lived andworked in Clerkenwell until he opened a shop in Fleet St in 1721. He was succeeded in 1732 by his second son, Edward (1713-66). His eldest son, Christopher (1711-83), left his father's shop in 1738 andlater became clock-maker to George III.

Pinchbeck

An alloy of copper and zinc (about 83 to 17) that was invented, c. 1720, by Christopher Pinchbeck. It resembled, but was much lighter than, gold and was used in making inexpensive jewelry, includingwatch cases, chatelaines, buckles, clasps, snuff-boxes, étuis, etc. It retained for a while a bright and unoxidized appearance. Sometimes it was covered with a wash of gold, but when some of thegilding wore off the difference in colour was barely visible. It was used in France, known there as 'pinsbeck'. It has been superseded by gilding metal and rolled gold, and also by 9-carat gold sinceits authorization in England in 1854.

Explanation on pinchbeck by Adin antique jewelry
Go to related jewels
Go to feedback
Adin Academy

Pinchbeck

No items found.

Pinchbeck, Christopher (1670-1732)

A London watchmaker who invented, c. 1720, pinchbeck, an alloy to imitate gold and that was named after him. He was a prominent maker of watches and clocks, as well as musical automata. He lived andworked in Clerkenwell until he opened a shop in Fleet St in 1721. He was succeeded in 1732 by his second son, Edward (1713-66). His eldest son, Christopher (1711-83), left his father's shop in 1738 andlater became clock-maker to George III.

Pinchbeck

An alloy of copper and zinc (about 83 to 17) that was invented, c. 1720, by Christopher Pinchbeck. It resembled, but was much lighter than, gold and was used in making inexpensive jewelry, includingwatch cases, chatelaines, buckles, clasps, snuff-boxes, étuis, etc. It retained for a while a bright and unoxidized appearance. Sometimes it was covered with a wash of gold, but when some of thegilding wore off the difference in colour was barely visible. It was used in France, known there as 'pinsbeck'. It has been superseded by gilding metal and rolled gold, and also by 9-carat gold sinceits authorization in England in 1854.

Also known as:

References

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson