Dent Pocket Watches

One of the most historic European watchmakers, Dent pocket watches were a beacon of both English excellence in timekeeping and beauty of craftsmanship, a tradition that continues today. Edward J. Dent’s watch company, founded in 1814, became celebrated for its masterful timepieces as they embodied the technological innovations of the age while also honoring Victorian England’s aesthetic sensibilities.

Dent’s watch works soon became incorporated into some of the most prominent timepieces of the day. Included among the company’s honors was the design of the Standard Astronomical Clock for the British Admiralty in 1814 as well as the receipt of the Royal Warrant in 1841 to become the official watchmaker of then Queen Victoria. This was a role that the company fulfilled through the reign of 20th century's King George V, a testament to Dent’s initial prestigious designs.

Quick Facts

• Dent’s turret clock, first shown at the Great International Exhibition in London in 1851, was so celebrated that he was commissioned to create a similar one for the Great Clock atop the Houses of Parliament (better known today as “Big Ben”)
• Fearing imposters attempting to imitate their watches, Dent developed a trademark of a triangle that they included in their designs from 1871 onward
• That same year, Dent was asked to create the Standard Clock for the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, the source of “Greenwich Mean Time,” or “G.M.T.”