Puritan watch Puritan watches are typically egg-shaped with plain, undecorated cases in silver or gold. This style, popularly known in the 17th century as ‘Puritan’, was influenced by the Protestant Reformation in Europe. These watches were especially popular in England during the English Commonwealth period, 1649–1660, when Britain was governed as a republic after the end of the Second English Civil War (1648) and the trial and execution of King Charles I. Their development was probably a reaction to the extravagantly decorated watchcases of the earlier 17th century. Although Puritans avoided ostentation and show, they greatly valued craftmanship and fine materials, such as the gold that watchmaker James Vautrollier (b. c1575, d. ?) used for his Gold Double-Cased Puritan Watch, made around 1625 (and coming soon to Clocktime). This simple and elegant Puritan watch has a plain double case made of pure gold, and its gold oval dial plate is completely devoid of decoration. Its features are functional and finely rendered. Vautrollier’s gold watch was a rare survival because it was common during the Commonwealth period for gold watches and objects to be melted down and recycled to keep abreast of changes in fashion or to cope with a scarcity of metals during times of upheaval. In fact, most surviving Puritan watches are made from just gilt metal, silver or silver gilt, one example being the silver Puritan watch by Edward East, made around 1640 and kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Accession number 17.190.1468a,b).
