Much like a charm made for a charm bracelet, a watch fob is a small ornament that hangs from the chain or strap of a pocket watch. As the watch sits in a man’s pocket the chain hangs out, therefore displaying the fob which was either decorative or utilitarian. The Nine Caroline Antiques shop has a variety of watch fobs to discover, both ornamental and practical.
It was common for pocket watches to require winding with a key, some of which were designed as fobs. This was the most practical of fobs as the key would be easily accessible attached to the pocket watch that it wound. We currently have an antique 19th century jeweled rhinestone gold filled key fob in the Nine Caroline Antiques shop. The gold filled handle features ornate engravings and the finial is embellished with a clear rhinestone. Based on the square measurement it is an English size 7 key.
The Nine Caroline Antique shop has two unique utilitarian watch fobs that stand out among the rest, one being the pictured 19th century sterling silver cigar cutter. Cigar aficionados would have loved to have this hanging from their front pocket. The blade cover has an ornate design and is marked “Sterling” “925/1000”. The blade is marked “Griffon” on one side and “Germany” on the reverse. This is a prime example of a functional watch fob. Another would be an antique gold filled European compass fob. Dating to the 19th century, this watch fob is actually a 
working compass with a floral engraving on the back. It is exciting to imagine who the original owner was; a man yearning for adventure or a well traveled gentleman? Regardless, anyone would have been happy to have this little compass attached to their pocket watch.
A fun ornamental fob that was once in the Nine Caroline Antiques shop is the pictured early 20th century Austrian steel mechanical faux pistol. It is decorated in an ornate engraving and has a hammer level that cocks and a trigger that releases. What fun this fob would have been hanging from your front pocket! 
Another example of an ornamental fob that recently sold in our shop is this beautiful sterling silver figural setter hound dog. Did a hunter pick it out because it resembled his beloved hound? It is marked sterling and has a beautiful polished agate panel on the underside.
If you are interested in viewing the discussed watch fobs or others please visit the Watches section of our shop by clicking 
here.