Winston Churchill's pocket watch nets five-figure sum at Maidenhead auction

A pocket watch belonging to Winston Churchill smashed its estimated price when it went under the hammer at an auction in Maidenhead.

The 18 carat gold watch, which had been valued at between £20,000 to £30,000, sold for a whopping £76,000 yesterday (May 23).

The watch was gifted to Churchill by Liberal politician Herbert Henry (H H) Asquith in 1905.

Churchill, twice a Conservative prime minister, defected to the Liberal party the previous year and the watch is believed to have been presented to mark the occasion.

It features an engraving of the Churchill family coat of arms as well as the words: ‘To Winston with gratitude H.H. Asquith, Xmas 1905’.

“There’s been enquiries from all over the world for it,” said Edward Langmead, watch expert at Dawsons Auctioneers ahead of the auction.

“If you’re a Winston Churchill fan or collector, you can’t afford not to bid because this won’t come up again and it won’t be seen again.”

The pocket watch is a minute repeater – a watch designed to help its owner tell the time when there was a lack of light.

Edward said: “A minute repeater was the height of technology for the day.”

“It was designed so people could hear the time when there was a lack of candle light or street lighting etc.

“You would have to charge the watch and it would then chime out the hours, the quarters and the minutes to give you an accurate idea of time.”

“They were incredibly complicated to make,” he added.

“You would need to be a master horologist (watchmaker) with some dedication – ten years plus in your field to assemble a watch like that.”

However, Edward said the watch holds further significance – not just because of its owner – but because of the symbolism of Churchill’s defection.

2024 marks 120-years since Churchill joined the Liberals.

And in the years following Churchill’s move – known as ‘crossing the floor’ – the Liberal party went on to be elected to power.

H H Asquith also became the UK’s Prime Minister.

Edward said: “Something we didn’t plan for was its timing as well, because of what’s been going on in politics.

“It’s about 120 years – as of a couple of weeks ago – that he [Churchill] actually crossed the floor and we’ve had some recent politicians doing the same thing.

“The watch is important because of its political importance, as well as being of historical of interest.

“It was a nod between gentleman of 120 years ago and its survived through different hands going from people to people.”

For more information visit Dawsons’ website.