Watch 1835 - 1855

This watch, made by Enar sometime in the 19th century, reminds us that time is not just a measure but a marker of social identity. The intricate silver casing speaks to the status of its owner, reflecting a world where access to such craftsmanship signaled a certain level of societal privilege. But what does it mean to carry time so close? For some, this watch may have represented control, a way to navigate the rigid schedules of burgeoning industrial life. Yet, for others, it could have been a symbol of constraint, each tick a reminder of labor and obligations. Consider the watchmaker, Enar, whose identity is now largely obscured. What were their daily realities, their aspirations, as they meticulously worked on this object? In a world increasingly governed by the clock, this watch embodies both the power and the precarity of time itself.