German silver Kaiser Wilhelm pocket watch Circa 1898

Presentation watch with dedication
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A Kaiser Wilhelm presentation watch, made by Dürrstein & Comp. in Dresden, Germany, circa 1898. This watch features a silver case, a back cover with imperial coat of arms, a dust cover with portrait of the emperor and laurel wreath with crown and the maker’s mark Dürrstein Dresden. The enamel dial features an outer minute and hour track with Arabic hour numerals, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock, historic brass and finished with a rich gilt (gold plated) layer, Louis XIV style main time hands and an ultra fine counterpoised baton seconds hand. The numbered movement is equipped with a precision lever escapement with fine adjustment.
The dial is signed.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 110 g
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Signed: Gust. Hinrichs Frankfurt A/M
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This 1898 German imperial pocket watch presented here is an historically significant example of a privat label “Kaiser Wilhelm” royal jubilee presentation piece. The solid 0.800 silver case and its mechanical movement were originally sourced, assembled, and distributed by the prominent wholesale trading firm Dürrstein & Comp. of Dresden, bearing their registered “IXL” quality trademark.

Commissioned under a Prussian state procurement contract, the finished timepiece was delivered to the luxury retailer and jeweller Gust. Hinrichs in Frankfurt am Main for final completion. Hinrichs signed the enamel dial and custom engraved the inner silver dust cover with the official presentation dedication: “Dem Pulver Verarbeiter Friedrich Frisch für 25 Jährige treue Dienste in der Königlichen Pulverfabrik bei Hanau 1898.” This inscription honours Friedrich Frisch for his 25 years of highly hazardous service as a gunpowder processor at the “Königliche Pulverfabrik Wolfgang” near Hanau, a state of the art military munitions installation operating under direct Prussian royal authority.

Presented on behalf of the state, this artefact beautifully bridges late 19^th century horological distribution networks with the industrial and military history of the German Empire.