SIGNED LOUIS AUDEMARS, BRASSUS (SUISSE), NO. 10'966, RETAILED BY PAUL BUHRÉ, ST. PETERSBURG, CIRCA 1869

The present watch is a fine example of a complicated timepiece made by Louis Audemars and sold by his representative in Russia, Paul Buhré, the official supplier to the Russian Court. To please the Tsar, wealthy Russian bourgeoisie and the Russian Orthodox church, he used a special hallmark for watches destined for this market: the double cross of Lorraine resembling the double cross of the Orthodox church above the heart containing the letters "L.A.". In fact, the firm Louis Audemars supplied many complicated watches of highest quality to the Russian court and to wealthy citizens, particularly in St. Petersburg, and was given an award for the excellence of their timepieces by the Imperial Palace.

This watch furthermore features Louis Audemars' early pendant winding and hand-setting mechanism, developed by Hector Audemars in 1838 (see Louis-Benjamin Audemars - His Life and Work by Hartmut Zantke, p. 131), and his counterpoised lever, also called "Bishop's crook lever" (p. 192, pl.T92, op. cit).