158 Audemars Freres A historically important and highly collectible, minute repeater manual pocket watch in 14K pink gold, with white roman numerals dial.
Estimate: Fr. 4'000 – 8'000
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- Model Pocket Watch Minute Repeater
- Year Circa 1900s
- Case Material 14K yellow gold
- Case Number 32'745
- Movement Manual, jewelled
- Dimension 54mm Diameter
- Signed Case, dial and movement
An exceptional and deeply evocative minute repeating pocket watch in 14K pink gold, this remarkable timepiece was produced circa 1900 and is distinguished by the inner caseback inscription, “Horlogers de sa Majesté l’Empereur de Russie.” This designation identifies the maker as an official watchmaker to the court of Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov dynasty, underscoring the prestigious standing of the maison within the Imperial Russian court, rather than indicating that the watch itself was made specifically for the Tsar. Opening the cuvette reveals a richly engraved inner cover signed “Audemars Frères, Brassus & Genève,” framed by a constellation of finely executed medallions celebrating the manufacture’s awards and distinctions. Founded in the Vallée de Joux, Audemars Frères stood among the most respected makers of complicated movements, supplying elite retailers and royal patrons alike. Their legacy would later contribute to the foundation of modern Audemars Piguet, anchoring this watch within one of the most important lineages in Swiss watchmaking. The generously proportioned pink gold case, with its elegant curves and hinged cover, has acquired a soft, even patina that speaks to both age and careful preservation. Beneath the restrained white dial, the true virtuosity of the piece is concealed. Activated by the slide, the minute repeater chimes the hours, quarters and minutes with clarity and refinement, a mechanical symphony emblematic of the highest achievements of its era. Combining technical excellence, distinguished craftsmanship and undeniable royal provenance, this watch stands as a rare and charismatic witness to a vanished world, one where time was not only measured, but performed.
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LUGANO
Villa Principe Leopoldo, Via Montalbano 5
3 June - From 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
GENEVA
Beau-Rivage, Quai du Mont-Blanc 13
9 May - From 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
10 May - From 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM