Lot 368

Paul Buhré, St. Petersburg, "Hoflieferant seiner Majestät", Case No. 156664, 28 mm, 25 g, circa 1900
An extremely rare and magnificent, diamond-set gold and enamel Pâte-sur-pâte pendant watch with original box
Case: 18k gold, enamel. Dial: enamel. Movm.: bridge movement, gold screw compensation balance.
The surface is decorated with engine-turned pattern and translucent mauve enamel. A large diamond sits in the centre of the front spring lid, surrounded by a relief-like, pâte-sur-pâte foliage scroll with two swans and two lyres; the edges are similarly embellished - this is a remarkable timepiece in truly outstanding condition.
The elaborate relief-like decor is applied with a brush and the number of layers determines the thickness of the relief. The development of pâte-sur-pâte dates back to 1850 and is normally used for pottery - it is only very rarely applied to jewellery or ornaments.
Paul Buhré took over the watch business from his father - also Paul Buhré - who had established it in 1815 in St Petersburg. He was purveyor to the court of the Russian Tsar and had branches in Moscow. The Buhré family was one of the most important retailers of watches in Russia, importing most of their timepieces from Switzerland. Around 1880 Paul Buhré founded a watch factory in Le Locle under his name, with Swiss watchmaker Paul Othenin-Girard as director of the company. When the company founder retired, Othenin-Girard continued the business together with his brother-in-law, watchmaker Georges Pfund in St Petersburg. During the revolution in 1917 the market in Russia collapsed and Buhré began specialising in deck watches, marine chronometers, chronographs and small pendulum table clocks. In 1963 Buhré was taken over by the DIXI group.
Source: https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Buhr%C3%A9,_Pawel_(Paul), as of 03/10/2017

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