King Farouk I (1920-1965) King of Egypt, born in Cairo in 1920, Farouk was the son and successor of King Fouad. Farouk was still under age, and accord-ingly a regency council was formed of Prince Mohammad Ali, Aziz Ezzat Pasha and Sherif Sabry Pasha to run the scene until his constitutional powers were completely handed over to him in July 1937. His reign lasted 15 years but in July 1952, under the pressure of the army's revolution led by Mohammad Nagib (1901-1984), King Farouk was forced to abdicate the throne to his son Ahmad Fouad II who was then a child (born 1952). The abdication docu-ment was signed in Ras El Teen Palace on July 26, 1952, and Farouk left Egypt for Europe. The Republic was declared in Egypt on June 18, 1953. King Farouk died in Rome in 1965 and was buried in Egypt in El Refai mosque. In exile in Europe, Farouk was a well-known figure in all the most fashionable places. He had also become a firmly established collector, particularly of small, applied arts objects. Among his extensive collection of objects of vertu, including several Fabergé creations, was a range of watches, primarily enameled examples, from 1780 to 1820, with music, automata and sometimes with erotic scenes. He also favored watches made for the Turkish or Far Eastern markets and was fond of modern watches, whether pocket or wristwatches, by the most prestigious makers. Whenever he had to present a gift, it would often be a watch. The coat of arms featured on this watch is the same as that on the celebrated "King Fouad", a unique and highly complicated pocket watch by Vacheron & Constantin sold by Antiquorum, ?The Quarter Millennium of Vacheron Constantin?, April 3, 2005, Lot 182. Sold for 3,306,250 Swiss Francs.