Antique Pavel Bure Calendar Pocket Watch c.1880s | Gun Metal Case | 15 Jewel | 56mm
ITEM-2698-EA
Product Details
Offered here is an unusual Pavel Bure Calendar Pocket Watch dating to the 1880s, featuring an impressive 56mm gun metal case, a beautifully arranged porcelain calendar dial, and a 15 jewel gilt movement. Combining Swiss watchmaking with the fascinating history of the Bure name in Imperial Russia, this substantial timepiece offers considerable appeal to collectors of early complicated pocket watches.
The Pavel Bure name has an important place in
Russian horological history. The Bure family operated a prominent watch
business in Russia while sourcing watches and movements from Switzerland,
resulting in timepieces that combine Swiss mechanical craftsmanship with a
strong connection to the Russian market. Antique Bure watches are particularly
interesting today for their association with the era of Imperial Russia.
This example is housed in a large 56mm open-face gun metal case. Gun metal cases have a distinctive dark appearance that provides a dramatic contrast to the bright white porcelain dial. The plain case design keeps the focus on the elaborate calendar display and gives the watch a strong, purposeful character.
The white porcelain dial is the centerpiece of the watch. Traditional Roman numerals and elegant Louis XVI hands are complemented by the additional indications of its calendar complication. Such multi-function dials were considerably more sophisticated than conventional time-only pocket watches and demonstrate the growing demand for complicated watches during the late nineteenth century.
With its imposing 56mm dimensions, unusual gun metal case, porcelain calendar dial, and connection to Pavel Bure, this is a distinctive late nineteenth-century pocket watch that stands apart from more commonly encountered time-only examples.
Details:
MAKE
Manufacturer: Pavel Bure
Country: Russia/Switzerland
Type: Man’s
Circa Date: 1880s
CASE
Size: 56mm.
Style: Open Face.
Material: Gun Metal.
Decorations: Plain.
Conditions: C 3 (The
case is in Very Good condition)
DIAL
Color: White.
Type: Porcelain.
Numerals: Roman Numerals.
Hands: Louis XVI Hands.
Features: Calendar.
Conditions: D 3 (The dial is in Very Good condition)
MOVEMENT
Jewels: 15 Jewels.
Setting: Lever Set.
Escapement: Lever Escapement.
Material: Gilt.
Layout: ¾-Plate Layout.
Signed: No.
Conditions: M 3 (The movement is in Very Good condition)
Condition
This antique Pavel Bure calendar
pocket watch remains in very good condition for its age.
- Large 56mm gun metal case remains in very good
condition with age-appropriate evidence of use.
- White porcelain calendar dial remains in very good
condition.
- Louis XVI hands complement the late nineteenth-century
styling.
- 15 jewel gilt movement remains in very good condition.
- Movement is unsigned.
- Please review all photographs carefully, as they form
an important part of the description and accurately represent the watch's
condition.
Why Collect Pavel Bure Pocket Watches?
Pavel Bure is a particularly
fascinating name for collectors because of the company's connection between
Swiss watch manufacturing and Imperial Russia. The Bure family became prominent
watch merchants in Russia, supplying watches to an affluent clientele during
the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Calendar pocket watches are also
considerably more visually and mechanically interesting than standard time-only
watches. Their additional indications required more complex mechanisms and
resulted in the elaborate multi-register dials that collectors find so
appealing today.
This example combines several
especially desirable features: an 1880s date, unusually large 56mm case,
distinctive gun metal construction, porcelain calendar dial, and a 15 jewel
gilt movement. Together, these characteristics make it an excellent addition to
a collection of Russian-market watches, complicated pocket watches, or
nineteenth-century Swiss horology.
