Our Saturday circuit “Museum Stories” proceed with the story of Pavel Pavlovich Buhre watch making firm.

The history of the Buhre watch making firm began in 1815 in St. Petersburg, where Karl Buhre moved from Revel together with his son. Pavel Karlovich grew up with the watch business of his father and eventually became an assistant and successor. In 1876, Pavel Buhre was awarded the title of hereditary honorary citizen "for conscientious and diligent fulfillment of the obligations assumed, while maintaining the state interests". His eldest son Pavel Pavlovich Buhre, who graduated from the Petropavlovsk Commercial School in 1868 and became his father’s companion at the age of 26, inherited his title and business.

In subsequent years, “Pavel Buhre” firm became the company, without which it is impossible to imagine the history of the Russian watch making. To expand the business, a store was opened in Moscow, and then in Kiev. In 1899, the firm was awarded the title of the Imperial Court Supplier.

During the reign of Alexander III (1881-1894), 3477 gift watches were presented amounting to a total of 277,472 rubles. The Buhre firm manufactured the overwhelming majority of them. In the late 1890s, the firm supplied watches amounting to a total of 50-60 thousand rubles a year for the Imperial Court only. Watches in simple metal cases were also made by the state orders. These were prize, army, railway watches, and, of course, the world's first wristwatch. The Main Artillery Directorate ordered this watch in 1904 in connection with the Russian-Japanese War. There were so many watches by Pavel Buhre that nowadays it is difficult to find a plot from the Russian life at the early 19^th century, where the matter or event would have done without them. Weight clocks and chronographs, carriage and wall clocks from public places, alarm clocks and gold repeaters - the entire history is practically transpierced with the references to "Pavel Buhre".

The museum Collection section "Pocket Watches" feature unique pieces made by this world famous watch making company.

Source: https://www.p-bure.com/history