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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Pocket watch · Savonnette pocket watch

18k Gold Savonnette Pocket Watch Gifted to General de Gaulle

Partially verified

This 18k gold savonnette pocket watch is identified by the auction description as a piece of Swiss manufacture dating from the late 19th century. The watch features a round, hinged case with exterior covers decorated with engraved, stylized foliage motifs. The case back is centered by an inscription reading "Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298." Internally, the dust cover contains a handwritten-style engraving reading "En souvenir au Général De Gaulle Tunis 7 Mai 1944." The watch possesses a white enamel dial with Roman numeral hour markers, stylized hands, a railway minute track, and a subsidiary seconds dial. It is powered by a crown-wound mechanical movement. The auction documentation states that the watch has a gross weight of 136 grams and a diameter of 60 mm. The provenance is traced through Charles de Gaulle, Philippe de Gaulle, and their descendants.

Front view of the 18k gold savonnette pocket watch with its case open to reveal the dedicated inscription inside the dust cover.
Front view of the 18k gold savonnette pocket watch with its case open to reveal the dedicated inscription inside the dust cover. — Artcurial (via Invaluable). Rights pending — permission not yet requested. Original source

Catalogue identity

Source
www.invaluable.com
Category
Pocket watch · Savonnette pocket watch
Maker / attribution
Swiss
Reference
Not recorded
Catalogue / lot identifier
174
Source-reported date
circa late 19th century
Source-reported place
Switzerland
Source-reported serial
242802

Source-reported attribution and specifications are not independent authentication. A listing does not establish present ownership, current display, availability or permission to reproduce.

Object description

Case and External Features

The watch is housed in a round, 18k yellow gold savonnette case, characterized by its hinged, protective outer covers. The rear cover displays a shield-shaped cartouche containing an inscription, identified as "Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298."

The case construction includes a hinged dust cover which acts as an internal plate to protect the movement. This surface features technical notations, the serial number 242802, and the dedicated engraving commemorating the gift to General de Gaulle in May 1944. The watch is wound via a crown located at the 12 o'clock position, consistent with late 19th-century savonnette designs.

Evidence for this section
  • “Boîtier rond sur charnière, cuvette en or avec mentions techniques et numérotation, l’ensemble recto et verso gravé avec des motifs feuillagés et stylisés”
  • “mention manuscrite « En souvenir au Général De Gaulle Tunis 7 Mai 1944 » gravée à l’intérieur du couvercle”

Dial and Movement

The watch utilizes a classic white enamel dial, which provides a clean surface for the black Roman numeral hour indices. It is equipped with stylized hands and a railway-style minute track, which circles the periphery of the dial. A secondary register for the seconds is positioned at the 6 o'clock marker.

The mechanical movement is accessed by opening the dust cover and is intended to be wound by the crown. The design of the movement and the watch as a whole is attributed by the cataloguer to Swiss manufacture intended for the Ottoman market.

Evidence for this section
  • “Cadran émail blanc avec chiffres romains, aiguilles stylisées, minuterie chemin de fer et petite trotteuse”
  • “Mouvement mécanique avec remontage à couronne (prévoir une révision complète)”

Provenance and Presentation

The object is noted for its documented association with General Charles de Gaulle. According to the provided family history, the watch was presented to him by the Bey of Tunis on May 7, 1944, to mark the anniversary of the liberation of Tunis. Following the death of the General in 1970, the item passed to his son, the Admiral Philippe de Gaulle, and subsequently to his descendants.

The inclusion of the "Muhammad Al Amin Pasha" inscription connects the watch to the local administration in Tunisia during its period as a territory under Ottoman influence, bridging its late 19th-century origins with its mid-20th-century historical significance.

Evidence for this section
  • “offerte par le Bey de Tunis au Général de Gaulle le 7 mai 1944 pour célébrer le premier anniversaire de la libération de la ville de Tunis”
  • “- Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970) - Puis l’amiral Philippe de Gaulle (1921-2024) - Puis descendance”

Open research questions

  • What is the specific horological maker responsible for serial 242802?
  • Can the specific Pacha associated with the 'Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298' Tughra be historically verified?

Source evidence

Recorded claims and source quotations for 18k Gold Savonnette Pocket Watch Gifted to General de Gaulle
FieldSource-reported valueSource quotation
Material18k yellow gold (750)“Montre de gousset savonnette en or jaune 18k (750)”
Diameter60 mm“D. : 60 mm”
Serial Number242802“No. 242802”
ProvenanceCharles de Gaulle to Philippe de Gaulle“- Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970) - Puis l’amiral Philippe de Gaulle (1921-2024) - Puis descendance”
InscriptionsMuhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298“inscription « Muhammad Al Amin Pasha 1298 » au dos”
Dedicated InscriptionEn souvenir au Général De Gaulle Tunis 7 Mai 1944“mention manuscrite « En souvenir au Général De Gaulle Tunis 7 Mai 1944 » gravée à l’intérieur du couvercle”
Gross Weight136 g“Poids brut : 136 g”

Visible details

  • Engraved foliated patterns on the exterior case
  • White enamel dial with subsidiary seconds at the 6 o'clock position
  • Inscription on the interior dust cover noting a 1944 presentation date
  • Crown-wound mechanism indicated by the prominent winding button

Research qualifications

  • The exact identity of the local Pacha associated with the engraved Tughra remains unconfirmed
  • The current functional state of the movement is not fully assessed beyond the auction's recommendation for revision

Photograph identity and source facts were screened before import; rights clearance remains pending.

Consulted source

Montre de gousset savonnette en or jaune 18k (750) offerte par le Bey de Tunis au général de Gaulle

Reviewed 2026-10-26 · Record 1e7752242a

Terms in this record

Glossary explanations for terms named in this object’s record.

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