Watch = a gift from the Cabinet of the EIV, presented by Empress Maria Feodorovna

The rarest find of our store is an original gift from the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty, a silver pocket watch "Pavel Bure" in its original box and a silver chain. 84 silver, glass, enamel; engraving. Three-winged (with an inner anther). The mechanism is mechanical, manual winding, in working condition. The inscription is engraved on the inside of the front cover:

Skænket af
Kejserinde Dagmar
Porter M. Andersen
Fredericia
17/12 1902

Translation: "Presented by Empress Dagmar to the porter M. Andersen, Fredericia, December 17, 1902", date. Empress Dagmar is the mother of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, nee Danish Princess Maria Sofia Frederica Dagmar, wife of Alexander III. The engraving indicates that the watch was a gift from her personally, which makes the item unique not only as a product of the Pavel Bure brand, but also as a rare artifact with a history directly related to the top officials of the state. It is known that after the coronation of Nicholas II, the Empress moved away from the court, moving to her homeland in Denmark, where she lived until her death in 1928. She rarely came to Russia (at the beginning of the twentieth century, she made her first visit only in 1904).

The beginning of the history of the award-winning watches, "Most highly awarded" by the august person, dates back to the reign of Nicholas I (1825-1855). At that time, watches were awarded infrequently, but already quite regularly. They were pocket-sized gold pieces, richly decorated. Their lid was covered with enamel and various engravings, and there was always an enamel portrait of the emperor on it. A donation inscription was applied in a cartouche specially designated for this purpose, which, however, was not always nominal in nature. There might be no information about who exactly was awarded the watch, and for what merits. Under Nicholas I, Russia achieved significant military and foreign policy successes, and the award watches were mainly complained about by representatives of the nobility and military leaders. Watches from the reign of Nicholas I are very rare and expensive, they are almost priceless. There are almost no fakes of these watches on the market, mainly due to the fact that they have a very complex jewelry finish.

All the watches from His Imperial Majesty's Office have an image of the national coat of arms or a portrait of the emperor. During the reign of Alexander II (1855-1881), cases of awarding watches for special services became more frequent. The first attempts to legally regulate the activities of yard suppliers also date back to this time. In addition to gold watches, silver or silver-plated watches began to be made. They were necessarily engraved with a portrait of the emperor, or the national coat of arms. These images were often present simultaneously on the front and back sides of the top cover. In addition to notable people, officers and lower ranks were awarded watches.

During the reign of Alexander III (1881-1894), watches began to be massively awarded to representatives of the lower ranks. There were many reasons for presenting a valuable gift – diligent service during the Highest journeys, christenings, gifts, dedication of music and poetry, outstanding achievements in any business, seniority, or victory in shooting competitions. Watches made of pure gold were rarely complained about, mostly silver products were given. In appearance, they can be roughly divided into two groups. The first is a watch with a portrait of Alexander III engraved in an oval cartouche on the front of the lid, and the national emblem on the back, also in an oval cartouche. The watches of the second group on the back of the lid had an image of the symbols of the branch of the armed forces to which the recipient of the gift belonged. Under Alexander III, the fact of being awarded watches from His Imperial Majesty's Office began to be recorded in service records, indicating the date and reason for the award. The leading suppliers at that time were Hr.Moser & C-e, Br. The Chetunovs and Fleury.

During the reign of Nicholas II (1894-1917), the clock from His Imperial Majesty's Cabinet acquired its most distinctive appearance. The portrait of the emperor disappeared from their covers, leaving only the image of the state coat of arms on the front side. On many watches, an award inscription was applied to the inside of the covers. The main manufacturer of watches for the Imperial court at that time (about 80% of the market) was the Pavel Bure Trading House.