Swiss 18 carat rose gold hunting cased lever watch Circa 1890

Rose gold full hunter by Audemars Frères
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A Swiss 18 carat rose gold hunting cased pocket watch, circa 1890. The movement with a lever escapement. White enamel dial with Arabic hour numerals, outer minute divisions, subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock and gold hands. A plain case. Dial signed, case and movement with a matching number.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Weight: 101 g
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Signed: Audemars Frères Genève
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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.