Is this the oldest watch in the world?

2 September 2025

If you missed BBC Radio 4’s intriguing The Watch Case with Rebecca Struthers, click here to listen…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002hpf0

 

A watchmaker, author and regular contributor to The Horological Journal, Rebecca writes…

‘Small objects are good at disappearing. They can be stolen, destroyed or misplaced. They can vanish into the bowels of private collections. They can hide in the backs of drawers, in shoeboxes under beds, and even under floorboards. But then, sometimes, they are discovered again by chance. So it was with the world’s oldest known watch, which was found in a box of old parts at a London flea market in 1987 for £10.’

When I wrote those words about the famous, or infamous, ‘1505’ watch in my book, Hand of Time, I had no idea what an incredible journey they would take me on. The legitimacy of what might be the oldest surviving watch in the world has been the subject of hot debate. What started out with me following the latest groundbreaking study into this watch took me on an unexpected rollercoaster of a detour…

I’m thrilled to be able to share that journey with you all on BBC Radio 4, as I invite you to join me for The Watch Case.