A SUPERB AND RARE

Antique Russian Imperial presentation rose gold pocket watch by Paul Buhre (Pavel Bure – Павел Буре), watchmaker to the Tsars of Russia.

The cover is decorated with an enameled gold double headed Imperial eagle, circa 1916.

Diameter 1 15/16 in. (4,9 cm)

Excellent condition.

Imperial watches with multi-color enameled eagle are very rare.

The rose gold case is stamped with 583 / 14 K Swiss marks.

Russian engraved inscription reads – Pavel Bure Supplier to His Majesty’s Court

The watch comes with its original Imperial presentation red leather case with applied gilt bronze eagle.

The Paul Buhre firm was founded in 1815 in St. Petersburg. In 1874, the firm acquired a large watch factory in Le Locle, Switzerland.

All watches sold by Buhre in Russia, through firm’s two shops in St. Petersburg and Moscow, were made at that factory in Switzerland.

The firm received two Grand Gold medals – one in 1896 in Geneva, another in 1900 at the Paris World Fair.

Watches with Russian Imperial eagle were made strictly by the order of the Czarist Court. Such watches were never sold to general public and they were not featured in the firm’s price lists of the period.

For more information on Russian Imperial presentation pieces see THE RUSSIAN IMPERIAL AWARD SYSTEM 1894-1917 by Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm, Helsinki 2005 (text in English)