PS Horology Tsuba 1720 on its integrated steel bracelet beside a historic Fleet Street map

PS Horology Tsuba 1720: Why the Hands Matter More Than the History

Featured photograph: the PS Horology Tsuba 1720 against the Fleet Street map that informs its caseback. Photograph: PS Horology.

The PS Horology Tsuba 1720 is easy to describe as a tribute to George Graham. That description is accurate, but it undersells the difficult part. The interesting work is not the historical reference; it is the decision to reverse the original pocket watch’s hour and minute tracks, then redesign the hands so the result can still be read without hesitation.

For collectors, that change separates a serious reinterpretation from a decorative quotation. The watch asks for attention, but its unusual display is governed by a clear reading logic rather than antiquarian theatre.

The chapter rings are not where Graham left them

The source is a pair-case pocket watch completed in 1720, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its double chapter ring, black enamel Roman numerals and beetle-and-poker hands supplied the visual vocabulary. PS Horology did not simply shrink that dial into the Tsuba’s cushion-shaped case. It placed the hours on the outside and the minutes on the inside.

George Graham 1720 pair-case pocket watch beside the PS Horology Tsuba 1720
The historical Graham watch and the modern Tsuba 1720 show why this is a reinterpretation, not a miniature replica. Photograph: PS Horology.

That reversal makes sense in the square geometry. Large Roman hours occupy the outer perimeter, where their changing widths can fill the corners; the smaller Arabic minutes form a tighter circular track. It also creates a functional problem. A conventional short hour hand would point toward the inner minutes, while the longer minute hand would reach the outer hours.

The hands solve the real design problem

The answer is subtle. The beetle-shaped hour hand keeps its broad historic form but gains a slender needle that reaches the outer hour chapter. The poker minute hand receives a small shelf that follows the inner minute scale. Each hand therefore indicates the correct track without abandoning its period character.

Angled front view of the PS Horology Tsuba 1720 showing its gold dial and steel bracelet
The extended hour needle reaches the Roman chapter while the minute hand’s shelf addresses the inner Arabic scale. Photograph: PS Horology.

This is the collector’s reason to care. The hands explain the dial instead of merely decorating it. They also reward inspection: the hour indication reads as a broad historical silhouette at first glance, then as a precise modern pointer when viewed closely.

Precious dial, pragmatic case

The hand-finished dial is made from 18k gold, with laser engraving, ceramic lacquer and hand-lacquered Roman numerals. Around it is a 316L steel case measuring 38.3mm across, excluding the crown, and 8.91mm thick. Sapphire crystals sit front and back, while the integrated bracelet uses pivoting first links, concealed link adjustment and a butterfly deployant clasp.

Straight-on view of the PS Horology Tsuba 1720 with its integrated steel bracelet
At 38.3mm across, the Tsuba’s cushion form is compact on paper; bracelet articulation will matter more than nominal diameter. Photograph: PS Horology.

The combination is persuasive because the precious material is concentrated where it contributes visual depth. Steel carries the structural work and keeps the bracelet from turning the watch into an exercise in weight. The limitation is equally clear: three atmospheres of water resistance is modest for an integrated-bracelet watch. This is a refined daily piece, not a carefree sports watch.

Close angled view of the PS Horology Tsuba 1720 dial, crown and first bracelet links
Brushed planes, polished edges and articulated first links keep the case and bracelet visually continuous. Photograph: PS Horology.

A thin movement with a visible compromise

The Vaucher calibre 5401 is a sensible choice. This 2.60mm-thick automatic movement uses a tungsten micro-rotor on a ceramic ball race, runs at 3Hz and delivers a 48-hour reserve. It has 176 components and 29 jewels. Those numbers are not exotic for their own sake; they help the watch remain under nine millimetres thick without abandoning automatic winding.

PS Horology Tsuba 1720 caseback with Fleet Street engraving and Vaucher 5401 micro-rotor movement
The shaped sapphire aperture reveals the Vaucher 5401; the solid back carries a Fleet Street map and workshop coordinates. Photograph: PS Horology.

The partial display back is more coherent than a full sapphire window would have been. It shows the blue micro-rotor while preserving enough steel for the engraved Fleet Street map and coordinates of Graham’s former workshop.

PS Horology Tsuba 1720 photographed above hand-drawn dial and hand sketches
The finished Tsuba 1720 set against drawings of its dial architecture and handset. Photograph: PS Horology.

The collector’s decision

The edition is limited to 28 pieces. Contemporary launch reporting places the price at CHF 26,000 excluding taxes and shipping, with first deliveries expected in February 2027; buyers should confirm commercial terms directly with the maker.

At that level, the case for the Tsuba 1720 is not simple value by specification. It rests on whether the owner sees the dial as an intelligent piece of display design rather than a heritage costume. The strongest evidence is the handset: two small interventions make an unconventional dial immediately legible. Collectors who value that kind of resolved detail will find more substance here than the 1720 date alone suggests. Those seeking robust water resistance or a conventional service proposition should make those questions central before committing.

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