Cartier

CARTIER, EXTREMELY RARE AND EARLY PLATINUM, DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE-SET KEYLESS LEVER DRESS WATCH, BY REPUTE GIFTED BY KING FAROUK OF EGYPT TO HIS ECONOMIC ADVISER ELIAS ANDRAOS PASHA NO. 011479

CIRCA: 1925 CASE MATERIAL: Platinum, diamond and sapphire-set CASE DIAMETER: 45 mm. DIAL: Silvered MOVEMENT: Manual FUNCTIONS: Time only BOX: No PAPERS: No WITH: Fob chain with diamond-set terminalBy family tradition, this beautiful Cartier watch, made in platinum and featuring baguette sapphire and diamond hour indexes, was presented by King Farouk of Egypt to the present owner’s grandfather, Elias Andraos, one of the most prominent of King Farouk’s entourage and his Economic Advisor. Andraos played the role of mediator between the King and his government and was also an intermediary between the Egyptian Government and the British Embassy. The watch is accompanied by a fob chain shaped in the Arabic phrase 'God Willing'. The fine movement of the present watch is engraved 'EXU' on the balance bridge. According to research, this indicates that the ebauche was supplied to the European Watch Co. Inc., by LeCoultre. King Farouk I (1920-1965) King Farouk I was the tenth ruler of Egypt from the Muhammad Ali dynasty and the penultimate King of Egypt and the Sudan. He succeeded his father, Fuad I, in 1936 and reigned until he was overthrown by a military coup in 1952. As king, Farouk was known for his extravagant lifestyle and voracious collecting of precious objects of all kinds. The auction sales of the Palace Collections of Egypt in 1956 was one of the great sales of the 20th century. Today, objects and timepieces associated with King Farouk continue to be highly desirable. King Farouk died in exile in Italy in 1965.