In 2005, King Fuad I’s Watch Was Auctioned for Over 3.3 Million CHF

King Fuad I of Egypt

King Fuad I, King of Egypt from 1922 to 1936

King Fuad I, son of Khedive Ismail, was the first king of Egypt in the modern era. A revolution occurred in 1919, led by Saad Zaghloul, which forced Great Britain to sign a declaration which granted Egypt to be an independent sovereign state in 1922. King Fuad I became a sultan in 1917, and then a king in 1922 after Great Britain granted Egypt Independence.

Continuing to be a recognized ally of the British crown, King Fuad I remained in power until his death in 1936. It was during his reign that the first ministerial government was formed, led by Saad Zaghloul, in 1924. He was succeeded by his Son King Farouk, who reigned Egypt from 1937-1952.

Shop Vintage Watches

A Swiss Watch for an Egyptian King

In 1927, Francis Peter, the President of the Mixed Court of Cairo and a Swiss Citizen, visited the Vacheron Constantin workshop on Quai de l’Ile in Geneva. The Swiss community of Egypt wanted to present King Fuad I with a gift, and Francis Peter would spearhead this effort. King Fuad I was a renowned collector of watches, a passion shared with his wife, in which his son King Farouk also shared and later inherited his coveted collection.

It was during this time that Vacheron Constantin was working on an eight-handed timepiece composed of a host of different complications. Once completed, it would be the most complicated watch ever produced by Vacheron Constantin. This would be the movement Francis Peter would choose for King Fuad I, and subsequently had the back of the timepiece decorated with the royal coat of arms. The interior of the double back was engraved with the following inscription in French: “To His Majesty Fuad I Tribute from the Swiss Community of Egypt”.

In 1929, the timepiece was presented to King Fuad I in a sandalwood box decorated in the royal crown and the King’s insignia in Arabic. This was a gift by the Swiss expatriate community.

King Fuad I of Egypt’s Perpetual Calendar Pocket Watch No. 402833 (1929)

Vacheron Constantin Perpetual Calendar Pocket Watch circa 1929 / Credit: Vacheron Constantin

As this includes a striking mechanism, King Fuad I’s watch has two barrels which are wound through the winding crown, one for the gear train, and a second for the additional energy to make the striking mechanism work.

Three gongs struck by three hammers occur every quarter of an hour. In the ‘Grande Sonnerie’ mode, the hours and minutes are sounded in the traditional manner with a simple note. In the ‘Petite Sonnerie’ mode, the hours are only struck on the hour. The carillon and three-hammer minute repeater require special construction, and the three gongs produce three different notes. The different variations (strike/silent, Grande Sonnerie, and Petite Sonnerie) are located on the side of the case.

Shop Vintage Watches

The movement is equipped with a micrometric regulator patented by Vacheron Constantin in 1924. Once completed, the watch was to be precision tested in eight different positions. The silver dial includes a perpetual calendar with a numerical display of the days of the week and date. The 18k yellow gold and enamel pocket watch also includes a split-seconds chronograph and 30-minute totalizer, and moon phase and age indicator. Truly was made for a king!

By: Eric Mulder