Lot 450

Bueche-Girod

Napoleon III

An unusual French 100 Francs gold coin watch Napoleon III

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The front shows a right-side profile portrait of French Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873) wearing a laurel wreath. It is inscribed "Napoleon III Empereur " and signed "Barre". The back displays the imperial mantle with coat of arms topped by a crown, the date "1869", the mark of the year "A" and the value of the coin: 100 Fr.
The heavy gold coin watch dating from the Second Empire was engraved by Albert Désiré Barre. He was the second main engraver at the French Mint after his father Jacques-Jean; he held the position from 1855 until his death in 1878 and was succeeded by another member of the Barre family – his brother Jean-Auguste.
The Swiss manufactory Compagnie des Montres Bueche-Girod SA (Bueche-Girod Watch Factory Ltd) was first based in Biel and then in Geneva; the company was deleted from the commercial register in 2003.