History: This watch was sent to La Maison Russie on 23 April 1810, and sold by Moreau on 31 December 1810 for the sum of 3600 Francs, according to his returns made to Breguet in Paris. He did not furnish the name of the buyer. Following the subsequent history through the repair books, it was first overhauled on 17 November 1825 at the request of a General Brosin. Returned again on 20 November 1827 by Princess Narishkin ( s i c . ) the books note that it was her own watch, and that the case back was of engine-turned gold. On 14 July 1834, following a letter addressed from Geneva by General Brosin (dated 2 July), the watch was brought to Breguet by an employee of the firm of Bautte et Cie., of Geneva. The last entry on 2 June 1853 is for the account of Monsieur Narichkin (sic.), the watch delivered by Monsieur Schouvaloff. As mentioned, the manufacturing books and first repair records confirm that this watch was originally supplied with an engine-turned gold back. However, when delivered to Breguet for overhaul in July 1834, by Bautte et Cie. of Geneva, the entry records the back as being enamelled. The champlevé decoration is typical of Geneva enamelling of the period, and as Bautte et Cie. were specialists for such work (such enamelling was in fact not available in France at the time), it seems almost certain that they made the back at the request of the Narischkine family. Indeed, according to a certificate (photocopy) accompanying the watch, from the Union de La Noblesse Russe, 75 Rue de la Victoire, Paris, the arms are these of the Narischkine family, created Russian counts by Czar Peter the Great, and the Princes Sviatopolk-Tchetvertinsky. Princess Maria Antonovna Narischkine, born Sviatopolk- Tchetvertinsky, and the owner of this watch was in fact the mistress of Czar Alexander 1, by whom she had several children, most of whom died at an early age. Literature: Illustrated and described in G. Daniels, The Art of Breguet, p. 212-213, fig. 218 a-d.