The Seven Provinces

The back of the watch features an engraving of the Dutch navy ship De Zeven Provinciën. A very iconic ship that was part of the Dutch fleet in the seventeenth century.

Construction of the ship De Zeven Provinciën started in 1642, during the period of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. At the end of the seventeenth century, the Republic is at war with England, a naval war. Large warships had to be made for that. One of the largest warships is De Zeven Provinciën, Michiel de Ruyter's flagship.

With its length of 45 meters, 80 bronze cannons and a sail area of ​​1600 square meters, it was a huge colossus. The armament was almost as expensive as the construction of the ship itself. The ship's construction took about 9 months at the time. Depending on the operation, there were about 500 to 700 men on board; sailors, soldiers, gunners and sailing crew.

60 new naval ships were built in the period 1664-1666. In total, this building program cost 8 million guilders. The country knew itself again. A war economy at full throttle. Only now for the first time focused from head to toe on war at sea. The ships became the calling cards of the young state. Full of decorations that testified to national pride.

Lions, weapons, heads, breasts, the showpiece being the back of the ship: the mirror piece. The arms of De Zeven Provinciën were depicted on this mirror piece. This showed that the Republic was very proud of the independence and cooperation between the provinces. The ships sailed across the sea proud as a peacock.