Swiss 18k rose gold repeating lever chronograph Circa 1910

Gold and enamel minute repeating chronograph by F. Girardet 
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A very fine, large Swiss 18 carat rose gold and enamel hunting cased minute repeating keyless lever pocket watch with chronograph, circa 1910. Retailed by Constantaras Freres, Constantinople, Joailliers en Chef de Sa M.J. Le Sultan. Rhodium-plated movement, Geneva Striping decoration, 29 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, index regulator, repeating on gongs activated by a slide on the band. Gold hinged cuvette engraved with the technical details and prize medals. White enamel dial with Breguet numerals, outer minute divisions, outermost fifths of a second divisions with Arabic five second numerals, subsidiary seconds, original blued steel spade hands. The front of the case with a painted on enamel portrait of Ottoman Sultan Muhammad V, finely engraved leaf border, the back decorated with engraved geometric foliage, polished band with button at 12 o’clock for the start/stop and return-to-zero of the chronograph. Case punched F.G.
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Diameter: 57 mm
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Signed: F. Girardet
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Muhammad V or Mehmet V, 1844-1918, Ottoman sultan (1909-1918). He succeeded to the throne of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) when the liberal ‘Young Turk’ revolution of 1909 deposed his brother, Abd al-Hamid II. He exercized no actual power under the new constitution, and the administration was dominated by Enver Pasha. During Muhammad’s reign Turkey lost most of its remaining European possessions in the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) and lost Tripoli to Italy in 1911-1912. Germany gained increasing influence over Turkish affairs, resuming construction of the Baghdad Railway in 1911. Muhammad sided with the Central Powers in World War I. He died shortly before the Turkish surrender and was succeeded by his brother, Muhammad VI.