DIAM. 50 mm. (movement with dials only) DIM. 127 x 63 mm. Galerie Neumarkt, Zürich (Switzerland), auction, September 20, 1968. Notes The Queen of Spain, Isabella II, was also in Geneva client of the Patek Philippe Company, for her own timekeepers or for royal presentation watches offered in recognition of services or loyalties rendered to the kingdom. Just like her youngest sister Luisa Fernanda of Bourbon (1832-1897), Infant of Spain, and her husband Antoine Marie Philippe Louis of Orleans (1824-1890), Duke of Montpensier, Infant of Spain (1859). At the end of her life, during her exile in Paris, it was José María Ortuño de Ezpeleta et Aguirre Zuazo (died in 1892), third Count of Ezpeleta, second Duke of Castroterreño, Count of Triviana, Great of Spain, who was in charge of this kind of acquisition. Bibliography Tellier, Arnaud, & Didier Chaponnière, Mélanie, Montres royales, 1850- 1910, par Patek Philippe - Timepieces for Royalty, 1850-1910, by Patek Philippe, Genève, Patek Philippe Museum, 2005, introduction and pp. 44-49 and 66-71. The Order of the Golden Fleece (Orden del Toisón de Oro - Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Roman Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III (1396-1467), Duke of Burgundy (1419-1467), in 1430 (January 10), to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infant Isabella (1397-1471), Duchess consort of Burgundy (1430-1467), daughter of John Ist (1357-1433), King of Portugal (1385- 1433). It became one of the most prestigious orders in Europe. Today, two branches of the Order exist, namely the Spanish and the Austrian Fleece (only one grade: Knight; ribbons of the Order: red). The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III (Real y Distinguida Orden Española de Carlos III) was established by Carlos III (1716-1788), King of Spain (1759-1788), by means of the Royal Decree of September 19, 1771, with the motto Virtuti et mérito. Its objective is to reward people for their actions in benefit to Spain and the Crown. Since its creation, it has been the most distinguished civil award that can be granted in Spain, despite its categorisation as a military order (five grades: Knight Grand Cross with Collar, Knight/Dame Grand Cross, Knight/Dame Grand Officer, Knight/Dame Commander, Knight/Dame; ribbons of the Order: three equal stripes, light blue, white, light blue). Isabella II (María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, known as), Princess of Asturias (1830-1833), Queen of Spain (1833-1868) Madrid, October 10, 1830 - Paris, April 9, 1904 The elder daughter of Ferdinand VII (1784-1833), King of Spain (1808 and 1813-1833), by his fourth wife (also his niece), María Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1806-1878). Isabella was proclaimed queen on her father's death in 1833. Her right to succeed to the throne was disputed by supporters of her uncle, Don Carlos María Isidro Benito (1788-1855) and her accession precipitated civil war (First Carlist War, 1833-1839). During Isabella's minority (1833-1843), her mother and General Baldomero Espartero (1793-1879), Prince of Vergara, a hero of the civil war, acted successively as regents. In 1843, Espartero was deposed by military officers and Isabella was declared of age. The period of Isabella's personal rule (1843-1868) was characterized by political unrest and a series of uprisings. Her government was dominated by military politicians, most notably General Ramón María Narváez (1800-1868), 1st Duke of Valencia, and the somewhat more liberal General Leopoldo O'Donnell (1809-1867), 1st Duke of Tetuan. Liberal opposition to the regime's authoritarianism became increasingly directed at the queen. Scandalous reports on the private conduct of Isabella, who lived apart from her husband, Francisco de Asís de Borbón (1822-1902), Duke of Cádiz, King consort of Spain (1846-1868), as well as her arbitrary political interference, further damaged the monarchical cause. The abortive uprising of 1866, and the deaths of O'Donnell (1867) and Narváez (1868), weakened her position further. In the autumn of 1868 a successful revolution drove her into exile. However, twelve children were born during the marriage (October 10, 1846), of whom five reached adulthood. There has been considerable speculation that some or all of Isabella's children were not fathered by Francis; this has been bolstered by rumours that Francis was either homosexual or physically unable to complete the sex act. Isabella settled in Paris, where in 1870 she abdicated in favour of her eldest surviving son, the future Alfonso XII (1857-1885), King of Spain (1874-1885). She returned to Spain for a time after Alfonso's accession but was unsuccessful in influencing political affairs. Legend for the portrait Queen Isabella II of Spain with her daughter Isabella (1851-1931), Princess of Asturias, by Franz Xavier Winterhalter (1805-1873), 1852, Madrid, Royal Palace. DIAM. 35 mm.; 13''' movement) made in the mid-19th century for the Spanish market (Antiquorum, Basel, auction, April 21, 1990, lot 426; Antiquorum, Hong Kong, auction, June 6, 2004, lot 431). Several watchmakers bearing this surname were established in Geneva during the course of the 19th century: Charles Longchamp, "Marchand d'horlogerie" (Merchant of horology), rue de la Croix- d'Or No. 22, in 1828, then as "Fabricant d'horlogerie" (Maker of horology) in 1840. L. Longchamp, "Etablisseur d'horlogerie" (Setter of horology), rue de la Croix-d'Or Nos. 22 or 19 or 20, between 1828 and 1835. An association L. Longchamp & Fils (... & Son/s), "Fabricant de montres" (Maker of watches), rue de la Croix-d'Or Nos. 19 or 27, in 1844. An association Elie Longchamp & Frères (... & Brothers), "Fabricants d'horlogerie", rue Neuve No. 108, between 1831 and 1840. Previously, in 1829, these watchmakers sign a petition for the construction of a new astronomical observatory ("Rapport sur le projet pour l'établissement d'un nouvel observatoire, fait au Conseil Représentatif de Genève, le 8 mai 1829"). Antoine Longchamp, "Etablisseur d'horlogerie" (Setter of horology), rue Longemalle No. 139, in 1840, then rue de Rive Nos. 245 and 251, in 1844. Antoine-J. Longchamp, "Horloger" (Watchmaker), rue du Teraillet No. 194, in 1860. An association Longchamp & Meylan, "Horlogers" (Watchmakers), rue Neuve No. 108, in 1860. An association Louis Longchamp & Fils (... & Son/s), in 1860. J.-E. Longchamp, "Horloger" (Watchmaker), rue Neuve No. 24, in 1874. L.-E. Longchamp, "Horloger" (Watchmaker), rue du Marché No. 40, in 1874. No Pizzala is referenced in this branch of activity in Geneva at this time. The brothers Jacques and Elie Longchamp (residing rue Neuve No. 24) are mentioned as having produced watches with keyless-winding system circa 1840; movements whose the cases of this new calibre are mounted in the Genevan workshop of Jean- François Moreau, case-maker. Is this new calibre of their own invention or is it that of Louis-Benjamin Audemars (1782-1833) from Brassus or of Antoine LeCoultre (1803- 1881) from Sentier in the Vallée de Joux? In Geneva, there is also a Jean-Nicolas Lonchamp (?-?), "ouvrier horloger" (watchmaker- craftsman), native of the Vallée de Joux, whose the eldest son, Charles-Louis-Jacques Longchamp (Geneva, December 12, 1802 - October 24, 1874), has distinguished himself as a scholarly grammarian and linguist, a professor at Calvin College. Bibliography "Louis Longchamp. Notice nécrologique", in Bulletin de l'Institut National Genevois, t. XXI, Geneva, Editions Georg, 1876, pp. 171-197. Gautier, Raoul, Le Service chronométrique à l'Observatoire de Genève et les concours de réglage de la classe d'industrie et de commerce de la Société des arts de Genève avec une 'étude des épreuves instituées dans d'autres observatoires pour les chronomètres de poches, Geneva, Imprimerie Aubert-Schuchardt, 1894, pp. 6-7. Doumergue, Emile, La Genève des genevois, Editions Atar, 1914, p. 201. Laya, François, Genève, la cité des nations, Librairie Kundig, 1921, p. 120. Gibertini, Dante, "Liste des Horlogers Genevois, du XVIe au milieu du XIXe siècle", in Genava, new series, t. XII, 1964, Geneva, 1964, p. .... Patrizzi, Osvaldo, Dictionnaire des Horlogers Genevois, la "fabrique" et les Arts annexes, du XVIe siècle à nos jours, Antiquorum Editions, Geneva, 1998, p. 259. Pritchard, Kathleen H., Swiss Timepiece Makers 1775-1975, National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc., West Kennebunk, Maine (USA), Phoenix Publishing, 1997.