A Victorian 18ct gold keyless wind open face pocket watch and whippet racing timer by William...

A Victorian 18ct gold keyless wind open face pocket watch and whippet racing timer by William Williams of Bury, the cream enamel dial having black Roman numeral hour markers, subsidiary dial to six o'clock each half with 1/16th seconds divisions, each revolution of the dial equalling two seconds, gilt hands and blued sweep seconds hand and outer track indicating yards, the plain case, hallmarked Chester 1891, fitted with a signed seventeen jewel three quarter plate gilt going barrel movement with partial chaton set train jewelling, right angle ratchet tooth lever escapement and stop function. Case diameter 55mm.

In the 19th century whippet racing was a popular sport in England. During this era, the whippet belonged mainly to the working class people of England. The majority of the owners would have been the mill and mine workers in Northern towns near the industrial cities. Due to this, the whippet became known by epithets such as "poor man's greyhound." This rather more ostentatious timer may have been used by one of the newly created "middle class" to indulge in a well loved past time.