Important Collectors' Wristwatches, P...

Geneva, Hotel Noga Hilton, Oct 16, 2005

LOT 177

Breguet et Fils, No. 1320, shipped to LeRoy, Constantinople for Monsieur Esseyd Ali Effendi, Sultan Beykan, on 13 fructidor an 12 (August 31, 1804), for 1,872 francs. Very fine and rare, early 20K gold and enamel pair-cased dumb quarter repeating watch, made for the Islamic market. Accompanied by the Breguet certificate No. 3230 dated June 29, 1907.

CHF 80,000 - 100,000

EUR 50,000 - 65,000 / USD 65,000 - 80,000

Sold: CHF 92,000

C. By Tavernier. Outer: two-body, the back in red translucent champlevé enamel over "sunburst" engine-turning, with gold paillon work around the border, gold paillon rosette in the center, bezels in opaque azure enamel alternating with gold and pink enamel shell pattern. Inner: four-body, polished with reeded borders, gold hinged cuvette with winding aperture. D. By Borel, white enamel with radial Turkish numerals, outer minute divisions, secret signature below 12 o'clock, secured by a screw above 6 o'clock, signed "Borel 217" on the reverse. M. 40,64 mm (18'''), gilt brass, standing barrel with Breguet continuous stop work, ruby cylinder escapement with three-arm brass jeweled balance, blued steel flat balance spring, pare-chute on the top pivot, index regulator, dumb repeating on two hammers by depressing the pendant. Signed on the dial, cuvette, both cases repeated with the number. Diam. 53 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

From Thomas Engel Collection The present watch is a classic example of the influence of Lépine?s work on Breguet. Indeed, in his early years Breguet often made use of the Lépine caliber, either in the form of ébauches supplied by Lépine himself, or of movements made in the Breguet workshop. For an example of a Lépine watch with a similar movement, see lots 45 and 46. Esseid Ali Effendi (d. 1809) Born in Morée, he began his career in Istanbul in the Chancellery of the Sublime Porte. In response to the arrival of Marshal Sebastiani as French Ambassador in Istanbul, the Sultan of Turkey sent Ali Effendi to Paris in a similar capacity in 1796. After a stay of three years, he returned to Turkey and was put in charge of the Naval Shipyards, eventually becoming Minister of the Navy, and making a substantial contribution towards the reform of the armed forces. Ali Effendi held several positions of importance during the reigns of both Selim IV and Mustafa IV, particularly during the negotiations of the Treaty with Napoleon. However, his arrogant nature eventually led to his being ordered away from Istanbul, and he was assassinated in 1809. During his stay in Paris, he became a very good friend of Talleyrand who introduced him to Breguet. Together with his interpreter Malotaky, he soon became one of his best clients from 1798, buying a ?minute grande sonnerie? clock-watch in 1799 and a long-case regulator in 1801. Back to Turkey in 1802, he wrote several letters to his friend Breguet and ordered 10 repeating watches between 1804 and 1808, several less expensive watches and pocket thermometers. He was the first, with his friend Stephanaki, an important watch dealer in Istanbul, to show Breguet all the potential that the Islamic market could offer if special watches were to be produced for it: they had to be pair cased, made of gold and enamel and to be fitted with white enamel Turkish dials. As Minister of the Turkish Marine in 1804 he ordered for the Emperor Selim II, a repeating watch as good as possible. ?Breguet - Watchmaker since 1775?, by Emmanuel Breguet, Gourcuff Edition, Paris, 1997.