Dial signed, cuvette and movement signed in Cyrillic, case numbered. DIAM. 57 mm. PAUL BUHRÉ In 1815, Paul Leopold Buhré opened a shop in St. Petersburg, where a colony of Swiss watchmakers was established, attracted by Catherine II's efforts to start a watch and clock factory there. Along with the firms of Courvoisier & Cie and Tissot, Paul Buhré introduced good horology to Eastern Europe. To ensure their supply, in 1815 the Buhrés founded a factory in Le Locle. Paul Buhré's son, also named Paul, took over the Russian business and traveled to Switzerland to select watches, later taking over the factory in Le Locle. The firm became official purveyor to the Imperial Court, and expanded rapidly. From 1880 on, it was managed by Paul Girard-Gabus (1835-1902), whose brother-in-law George Pfund also worked with the firm. That same year, the company name was changed to PAUL GIRARD-GABUS, and the firm still did considerable trade with Russia. Buhré watches were used on the Russian railways and were given by the Russian government as awards. These award watches, called "Russia" watches, had a half-length Figure of the Tsar on the dial. Buhré won a Silver Medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889, a Gold Medal at the Swiss National Exhibition in Geneva in 1896, and a Gold Medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. When Paul Girard-Gabus died in 1902, the company name became PAUL BUHRE once again. The company registered its name in 1909, for the manufacture of watches and watch parts and for the trademark name "Russia", and again in 1912. In 1911 they registered a ratchet wheel with click. In 1916, they were granted Swiss patent No. 74144 for a chronograph mechanism. All Swiss firms that depended on trade with Russia were badly hit by the Russian Revolution in 1917, and had quickly to develop new products and markets. In 1915- 1919, Paul Girard-Gabus' son, Alexander Girard (1867-1940), was the Buhré representative in Le Locle. In 1930 the firm was listed as PAUL BUHRE & HENRI BARBEZAT-BOLE SA. Watches by PAUL BUHRE, holder of the Russian Imperial Warrant, of this high grade and complication are very rare and of course were always the most expensive, they were often made for presentation by the Tsar himself. The decoration of the case is particularly interesting and very well made. The skull and crossbones motif and the obscure inscription indicate that the owner was a member of a type of Masonic or illuminati society. PROVENANCE By direct descent from the original Russian owner, MAZURIN KONSTANTIN MITROFANOVITSH (1866 - 1959). Mitrofanovitsh was a Moscow merchant and hereditary citizen of honor. He was the proprietor of a textile factory near Moscow that had been bought by his father in 1843. His grandfather ALEXEI ALEXEIEVITSH was Mayor of Moscow between 1828 and 1831.