Silver marks

[Charlief7]

I have a pocket watch the case is marked. J.W.Benson. the case is marked Fine sIlver with an elaborate shield motif above,

but there are no hall marks, I think the watch may have been made before 1917 as the case is also engraved with watch maker to hrh prince of Wales and HIM the emporer of Russia.

any ideas as to date and why the case isn,t hall marked

[Cad101]

A couple of pics would be nice so the kind peeps on here can help.

[szbalogh]

Check at the stems hole! 

[Charlief7]

Have checked the rest of the case for silver marks can not see any, have taken a couple of photos and will try to upload .

[Charlief7]

Have found an answer else where, Fine silver is .935 silver as apposed to British standard of.925.From what I can read many watches never got British assay marks, especially during the First World War when a 30 percent tax was added to luxury goods so products made abroad were shipped out to British commonwealth without being assayed.