According to the Archives, this type of case, specially ordered by Musy, was called "Massy". Such watches were usually bought by sovereigns to be presented to important visitors or in recognition of loyalty. Other watches with the same provenance were sold by Autiquorum in Geneva on 14 October 1990: one made by Vacheron & Constantin, lot 42, the other by Patek Philippe, lot 308. All were retailed by Musy Padre & Filgli, Torino. Umberto I was born on March 14, 1844, in Turin, Piedmont, Kingdom of Sardinia, and died on July 29, 1900, iaa Monza, Italy. Duke of Savoy and King of Italy, Hitherto I led his count ry out of its isolation and into the Triple Alliance with Austria and Germany. He supported nationalistic and imperialistic policies that led to disaster for Italy and helped create the atmosphere in which he was assassinated. Having received a totally military education, Umberto first fought in the war against Austria in 1866. The calm and decisive leadership he showed in saving his troops, at the Italian debacle at Custoza in June 1866, won him great popularity. His marriage to his cousin Margherita Teresa Giovanna, Princess of Savoy, on April 22,1868, and the birth of their son, the future Emmanuel III, on November 11, 1869, also gained him public sympathy in spite of prevailing antimonarchist sentiment. Umberto ascended the throne on January 9, 1878, but his respect for the constitutional regime, as well as his attempt to reconcile various political and regional elements in Italy, allayed the suspicions of the leftists. Nevertheless, he maintained an authoritarian view of the king' s prerogative, which he used, probably under the influence of the ambitious and energetic queen, to bring Italy into the Triple Alliance (May 20, 1882) with Germany and Austria-Hungary. He also urged Italy ' s entry into the armaments race despite the country ' s limited ressources, and he encouraged colonial adventures in Africa. A tariff war with France led to grave economic difficulties (1888), and the defeat of the Italians by Ethiopians in the Battle of Adowa of 1896, meant the failure of Italian colonialism. In the face of increasing social unrest, Umberto condoned the imposition of martial law (1898) and the harsh repression that followed, especially at Milan. This period of turmoil culminated in Umberto 's assassination by an anarchist, G. Bresci.