Presentation Pocket Watch “Repetition & Chronograph”, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
c. 1900
This gold hunter-cased presentation pocket watch, dated by Dorotheum to circa 1900, is associated with Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. The exterior of the hunter case is decorated with engine turning and an engraved imperial crown above the monogram 'FJI'.
The auction catalog notes an internal engraved motto reading 'Not ruler, but father I wish to be to you / Franz Joseph I Emperor of Austria.' The movement is described as an inscribed 'St. Jean Geneve' lever mechanism with repeating function, paired with an enamel dial and gold hands. Case diameter measures 5.8 cm with a gross weight of 130 g.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Repeating watch
- Dial and hands
- Enamel dial with subsidiary seconds, gold hands
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Case decoration
- Hunter case with engraved Imperial monogram “FJI” with Imperial Crown
- Interior engraving
- Interior engraved motto: “Not ruler, but father I wish to be to you / Franz Joseph I Emperor of Austria.”
- Maker / attribution
- St. Jean Geneve
- Dimensions and weight
- Diameter 5.8 cm, gross weight 130 g
- Movement and inscription
- Lever movement with repeating mechanism, inscribed “St. Jean Geneve”
Design
- Visible features
- • Closed yellow or rose gold hunter case featuring engine-turned patterning. • A central cartouche is engraved with an Imperial crown over the intertwined monogram 'FJI'. • A fluted winding crown and round bow are set at 12 o'clock, with a push-piece visible on the upper left case band.
- Case Form and External Presentation
- The pocket watch is described in the auction catalog as a gold hunter case measuring 5.8 cm in diameter, with a recorded gross weight of 130 g. Direct observation of the closed case front shows an engine-turned pattern surrounding a central cartouche engraved with an Imperial crown over the intertwined monogram 'FJI'. The pendant is situated at 12 o'clock, bearing a fluted winding crown and a round bow. A push-piece is visible on the upper left case band in the catalog photograph.
- Movement, Dial, and Catalog Details
- The lot description reports an enamel dial with subsidiary seconds and gold hands. The movement is characterized as a lever movement with a repeating mechanism, accompanied by the cataloguer note: '(no guarantee for continuous functioning)'. While the lot title includes “Repetition & Chronograph”, chronograph details are not further specified in the text description. The auction catalog dates the watch to circa 1900. Neither the dial, hands, nor the movement mechanism are depicted in the single closed-case photograph provided in the record, and specific hallmarks or caliber references are not recorded in this source.
- Inscriptions and Internal Indications
- The catalog records an interior engraved motto reading: “Not ruler, but father I wish to be to you / Franz Joseph I Emperor of Austria.” The source text does not state the exact placement of this engraving within the case. The movement is noted by the auction house as being inscribed “St. Jean Geneve”.
Identification
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The dial, hands, inner cuvette inscription, and movement are not visible in the primary catalog photo.
- Research required: The auction house states 'no guarantee for continuous functioning'.