Swiss repeating Imperial presentation repeating watch Circa 1890

Gold minute repeating full hunter pocket watch
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A Historical pink gold, enamel, minute repeating, keyless winding, Swiss imperial presentation watch with engraved tsar’s eagle, circa 1890. Made for the Russian market by Pavel Buhré, Supplier to Her Majesty’s Court. Rhodium plated movement with going barrel, gold screwed chaton (setting) on the central wheel, straight line equilibrated lever escapement, cut compensated balance, blued steel hairspring with a terminal curve, and one horological complication: Minute repeater on two steel gongs (activated by the slide at 6 o’clock).
Signed enamel dial with Roman radial hours, outer minutes track with Arabic five minutes numerals, subsidiary dial for the seconds, and original gold pear hands.
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Round shaped 18K pink gold and enamel case, cover and caseback guilloché (engine turned); the cover engraved and black champlevé enamelled with the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. Inside cover engraved in taille-douce (fine-cut) with the mention in Cyrillic letters Graciously offered to the artist of the French Company of the Imperial Theatres of St. Petersburg, L. Guitri / 1890. Gracieusement offert à l’artiste de la Compagnie française des théâtres impériaux de Saint-Pétersbourg, L. Guitri / 1890.
Case and movement signed.
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Diameter: 54 mm
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Signed: Pavel Buhré
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It is extremely rare to find this type of watch in 18K gold because most of the gold watches made for the Russian market or made in Russia were made in 14K gold. Only the most important watches had this titling, often found on watches with horological complication/s. This watch is all the more interesting because it was offered by the Imperial crown to Lucien Guitry (1860-1925), the greatest theatre actor of his time.
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Pavel (Paul) Buhré, Russian master watchmaker
The firm was established by Carl Buhré in 1815 in St. Petersburg. His son Paul entered the business, and by 1874, the company had acquired a large watch factory in Le Locle, Switzerland. In 1899, the company was given the Imperial warrant to supply the Czar and his family with watches for themselves and for presentation. Between 1887 and 1917, the office of the Emperor bought around 15,000 watches, and the name of Pavel Buhré became synonymous with the watches of Czarist Russia; even Anton Chekhov mentions Buhré’s name several times in his literature. The Buhré company dominated the supply of watches to Russia and, at one time, held over 50% of the market in ordinary watches. The complicated watches for rich customers were specially ordered in Switzerland. The company won medals at National and International exhibitions, including a silver medal in Paris 1889 and a gold medal in Paris 1900. Czar Nicholas II wore a gold watch by Pavel Buhré and a silver marine watch, which was found amongst his possessions after his execution in 1917. The revolution effectively ended the business of Pavel Buhré, although the seized watches and parts continued to be used by the Soviets, including Stalin and Khrushchev.
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Guitry, Lucien, Paris, December 13, 1860 – Paris, June 1, 1925
Lucien Germain Guitry is considered the greatest actor of his time, the male equal of Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923), with whom he played regularly; he created memorable roles that brought him repeated international triumphs.
In 1885, he was engaged in the permanent troupe at the French Theatre in St. Petersburg, the famous Michel (or Mikhaylovsky) Theatre. He signed for nine winter seasons from 1882 to 189 as a resident. While in the Russian capital, he associated with the intellectual elite, becoming close friends with Pyotr Ilytch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), Russian composer, and his brother Modest Ilytch Tchaikovsky (1850-1926), Russian dramatist, opera librettist and translator.
Known for his numerous successes with women, Lucien Guitry is the father of playwright and actor Alexandre Sacha Guitry (1885-1957), born in Russia and named in honour of his godfather, Czar Alexander III.