Anonymous

Swiss Work No. 242802 18k (750) yellow gold hunter pocket watch offered by the Bey of Tunis to General de Gaulle

Round case on hinge, gold bowl with technical information and numbering, the front and back engraved with stylized leafy patterns, inscription "Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298" on the back and handwritten mention "In memory of General De Gaulle Tunis 7 May 1944" engraved on the inside of the lid. White enamel dial with Roman numerals, stylized hands, railroad minute track and small second hand, signed. Mechanical movement with crown winding (plan for a complete overhaul). D.: 60 mm Gross weight: 136 g History: According to family tradition, this watch was offered by the Bey of Tunis to General de Gaulle on May 7, 1944 to celebrate the first anniversary of the liberation of the city of Tunis. This Swiss-made piece, circa late 19th century, is typical of Swiss watches produced specifically for the Ottoman Empire market and bears the inscription "Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298" on the back. The calligraphy corresponds to that of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, the date 1298 corresponds to that of Sultan Abdülhamid II, however this Thugra does not correspond to that of a Sultan, but perhaps to that of a local Pasha in Tunisia at the end of the 19th century, because Tunisia was then part of the Ottoman Empire. The title of "Bey", dates back to the time of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923), and could be translated today as "Prefect of the region". A great lover of watches, the Bey of Tunis also offered General de Gaulle a wristwatch with a cloisonné enamel dial bearing his image. This watch, on which he appears in ceremonial dress, is now kept at the Patek Philippe Museum (Inv. P-841). Provenance: - Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970) - Then Admiral Philippe de Gaulle (1921-2024) - Then descendants