Anonymous

UNSIGNED TSAR ALEXANDER II, cuvette no. 17836, circa 1860

UNSIGNED TSAR ALEXANDER II, cuvette no. 17836, circa 1860 An extremely rare and important, finely chased, gold and enamel, Russian Imperial Presentation pocket watch with white enamel, radial Roman numerals, blued steel hands, portrait of Alexander II, Czar of Russia (r. 1855–81) and portrait of Maria Alexandrovna, his wife. Fitted with a 41 mm. diameter mechanical, key wound, gilt finish, jewelled movement, with patented compensated lever escapement, cut-bimetallic balance with poising screws, blued steel screws, self-compensating blued steel hairspring, index regulator, five-body construction case, spring loaded gold front cover with a finely enamelled miniature portrait of Tsar Alexander II, ribbed band, hinged gold cuvette engraved with coat of arms of Tsar Alexander II and numbered inside 17836, hinged gold case gold with enamelled miniature portrait of Maria Alexandrovna (Marie de Hesse-Dormstodt), hinged gold bezel with mineral glass. Diam. 48 mm. Thickness 14 mm. Such high caliber gold and enamel watches with the Tsar’s portraits were given by the Tsar as a reward to high-ranking state officials, military commanders, and diplomats. Similar Imperial presentation gold and enamel pocket watches with portraits of Russian czars Nicholas I and Alexander II are exhibited at the MET, Metropolitan Museum in New York.