Swiss 18K yellow gold full hunter pocket watch Circa 1940

Gold hunting cased keyless lever watch
–
A fine Swiss 18 carat yellow gold hunting cased pocket watch of historical significance, made for presentation by the Bey of Tunis to General de Gaulle, circa 1940. It has a mechanical, manually wound movement with a lever escapement. The white enamel dial shows black Roman numerals for the hours, an outer minute track, a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock, and decorative gold stylized hands.
–
The timepiece is housed in a substantial 18 carat solid yellow gold full hunter savonette case with front and back covers richly chased and engraved with intricate foliate and stylized motifs. The back cover is further adorned with an Ottoman Arabic inscription reading Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298 within a central cartouche. The matching 18 carat gold cuvette displays engraved technical markings. The interior of the protective front lid features a deeply significant handwritten historical engraving that reads En souvenir au Général de Gaulle Tunis 7 Mai 1944.
–
Diameter: 60 mm
–
Weight: 136 g
–
Signed: Muhammad Al Amin Pasha
–
According to family tradition, this watch was presented by the Bey of Tunis to General de Gaulle on May 7, 1944, to celebrate the first anniversary of the liberation of Tunis. This Swiss made timepiece, circa late 19th century, is typical of Swiss watches produced especially for the Ottoman Empire market. It bears the inscription Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298 on the back. The calligraphy corresponds to that of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, and the date 1298 corresponds to Sultan Abdülhamid II. However, this Thugra does not match that of a Sultan but perhaps that of a local Pasha in Tunisia at the end of the 19th century, as Tunisia was then part of the Ottoman Empire. The title “Bey” dates back to the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923) and could be translated today as “Prefect of the region”. A great lover of watches, the Bey of Tunis also gave General de Gaulle a wristwatch with a cloisonné enamel dial in his effigy. This watch, on which he appears in full regalia, is now in the Patek Philippe Museum.
–
Circa 1940 reflects the actual Western period in which this specific Swiss movement and case were manufactured. This perfectly aligns with the date of presentation to General de Gaulle on May 7 1944. The 1298 in the inscription represents the Islamic calendar year 1298 AH. Because the Islamic calendar begins in the Western year 622 and utilizes shorter lunar years, the year 1298 AH corresponds precisely to the Western year 1881. Therefore, the year 1298 on the case back does not refer to the production date of the watch, but rather marks the birth year of Muhammad Al Amin Pasha, who was born on September 4 1881. The royal inscription on the case thus celebrates his birth year as ruler, while the catalogue heading Circa 1940 indicates the timepiece’s actual age.