Swiss gold and enamel commemoration pocket watch Circa 1844

Gold and enamel hunting cased cylinder watch by J. F. Bautte & Cie.
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A Swiss gold and enamel hunting cased cylinder watch created to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the marriage arrangement between Princess Charlotte of Prussia (later Empress Alexandra Feodorovna) and Grand Duke Nicholas I Pavlovich (later Tsar Nicholas I). The cuvette features a painted portrait of Empress Alexandra by Ivan Winberg, circa 1844. The watch features an unsigned gilded bar movement with a cylinder escapement and a plain flat three arm balance. It has a white enamel dial adorned with Roman numerals and an outer minute ring.
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The gold case presents a front with a blue guilloché enamel cartouche heightened by a polychrome enamel crest of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna: a sword piercing a wreath of white roses, with an engine turned surround bordered by chased and engraved scrolling foliage. The back showcases translucent blue enamel over a sunburst engine turned ground, centred by a chased and engraved floral spray, bordered by scrolling foliage, with a milled band, decoratively chased and engraved pendant, and bow. The gold inner cover is embellished with a polychrome enamel portrait of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, painted on ivory and signed on the edge by Winberg. The inside of the case back is engraved with various declensions of the word ‘Yours’ along with the years 1814 and 1844. The polished gold cuvette bears engraved movement details and apertures for winding and handsetting, and is signed J. F. Bautte & Cie, à Genève, and numbered.
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Diameter: 36 mm
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Signed: J. F. Bautte & Cie à Genève
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The movement is fully wound and not running; however, a slight impetus will briefly engage the balance and escapement. There are signs of dirt, and the plates are tarnished. The dial has surface dirt. A gluelike residue runs around the edge of the dial; it does not appear to be a repair but perhaps an attempt to secure the bezel, which is slightly ajar and not snapping shut. There are scratches to the enamel on the front and back of the case, with the back enamel exhibiting two chipped areas that have been rather crudely repaired with discoloured soft enamel, alongside a similar repair on the lower left hand side. The ivory painted portrait appears to be in good condition, aside from a small spot of residue at the upper left side. The bezel does not close securely and remains slightly ajar. The portrait panel and the case back are also not closing securely and are slightly ajar. Engraving inside the case back appears to read: mboa[?], modoro, medro.
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The inscription on the inside back cover, featuring three different declensions of the word ‘Yours’ and the years 1814 and 1844, suggests that this watch was presented by Tsar Nicholas I to his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their marriage. The Empress’s emblem adorns the front of the case, while her portrait, painted by Ivan Winberg, is mounted on the cuvette. Of Swedish descent, Ivan Winberg served as a miniaturist at the Russian court and, in 1846, was appointed Professor of Miniature Painting at the Russian Academy.
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Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was born Princess Charlotte of Prussia at Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin on 13 July 1798. Charlotte was the daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia (1770-1840) and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1776-1810). Her marriage to Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich, later Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, was arranged in February 1814, and the couple wed three years later in 1817. Charlotte converted to Russian Orthodoxy and adopted the Russian name Alexandra Feodorovna. Alexandra became Empress consort upon her husband’s accession as Tsar Nicholas I in December 1825. The couple had seven children, and their eldest son ascended to the throne as Tsar Alexander II upon his father’s death. Alexandra Feodorovna suffered from poor health for many years and passed away on 1 November 1860 at the age of 62.
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Rossel-Bautte & Cie is recorded working in the Rue du Rhone, Geneva in 1844.