French fine diamond and emerald set gold watch Circa 1890

Diamond and emerald set gold watch, made for the Turkish market
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A French fine and rare diamond and emerald set pink gold open faced pendant watch, made for the Turkish market, formerly in the collection of sultan Abdul Hamid ii, circa 1890, gilt lever movement, pink gold cuvette.
White enamel dial, Roman numeral spaced by blue florets, outer Arabic numerals in blue, Louis XV-style hands, case in 18th century style, the bezels, bow and case back set with alternating rose-cut emeralds and diamonds, cuvette signed and numbered, completed by a pink gold chain composed of faceted bars, spaced by green gold and pearls.
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Diameter: 35 mm
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Signed: Breguet
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Breguet sold this watch to Mir et Cottereau, the firm’s Constantinople agent, in 1890, for 1375 francs.

Sultan Abdul Hamid II (1842-1918) was the last absolute ruler of the Ottoman Empire. He was deposed in 1909 by his brother, and many of his jewels and treasures were sold in a 1911 auction at Lair-Dubreuil in Paris. The present lot was among these historically interesting objects.

Breguet’s strong relationship with Turkish clients of wealth and stature is well documented. In 2010, a selection of Breguet watches made for the Ottoman empire were exhibited at the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul. Sultan Abdul Hamid II was an established patron of the firm, having commissioned both complicated and decorative pieces.

This watch is of particular note for its unusual case shape in the 18th century style and small size of 35 millimetres. The emerald setting and green gold accents to the chain were likely commissioned specifically by the Sultan for the importance of the colour green in Islam.