Swiss 14 carat rose gold complicated chronograph Circa 1908

Rose gold gentlemen’s pocket watch
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A Swiss 14 carat rose gold hunting cased minute repeating chronograph pocket watch with perpetual calendar, ages of the moon and moon phases made by Audemars Frères in Geneva and Le Brassus, circa 1908. The manual winding lever movement is jewelled and repeats the minutes with two hammers on two gongs. A cuvette engraved with Medailles Obtenues and the prize medals, and further Horlogers de sa Majesté l’Empereur de Russie Par l’Ancienne Maison Audemars Fondée en 1811. White enamel dial with Roman hours, outer minute divisions, Arabic five minute numerals, an outermost fifth of a second track, subsidiary dials for the months and leap year indication at 12 o’clock, days of the week at 9, the date at 3, auxiliary seconds with an aperture for the moon phases and a lunar calendar at 6, and blued spade hands. The plain case with a monogram on the front and reading Minne af Albin Noreen Maj 1908 on the back. Dial and movement signed, case and cuvette signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 56 mm
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Signed: Audemars Frères Genève & Brassus
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Audemars Frères. After the bankruptcy of the company Louis Audemars & Cie (the Ancienne Maison) in 1885, where Charles Henri Audemars was senior director, his two sons, Hector Adolphe Audemars and Charles Henri Audemars Jr., founded the company Audemars Frères in Geneva and Le Brassus. They continued the business very successfully and became the court watchmaker of the Russian tsar.

Two more companies that were formed after the bankruptcy were:
François Audemars Fils, founded by their elder brother, François. His watches are rare and said to be good quality but his business collapsed before the end of the 19th century and Louis Audemars & Cie, founded by a cousin Louis Audemars-Valette. His watches were good quality to begin with but declined in quality until he closed his company in about 1900.