Provenance: The property of an important American family since the 1920 's. Formerly in the Dollfus collection. Literature: Described and illustrated by George Daniels in The Art of Breguet, p. 185, fig. 149 a-c. Note: Although invented in France, the Duplex escapement was to a great extend used by English watch makers. Very few watches are known by Breguet with such an escapement, and of these the majority are fitted with the double-wheel variant. General Markoff is mentioned by Emmanuel Breguet in his book: Breguel - Horloger &puffs 1775, Alain de Gourcoff Edition, Paris 1997, p. 215, as one of the important Russian clients of Breguet. He was the Ambassador of Russia in Paris. Until the beginning of the 18th century, diplomatic relations between France and Russia solely consisted in the dispatching of delegates for a particular mission. It was only after 1721, following the treaty of Nystadt in which France played a mediating role, that permanent diplomatic relations were established between France and Russia. Each nation was represented by an ambassador or plenipotentiary minister. During periods of tension, however, an ambassador may be recalled and representation would be sustained iu the meantime by a charge d ' affaires - unless, of course, there is an actual breakdown in diplomatic relations. Count Arcadius Ivanovitch Markov, (1747-1824), was the son of a Russian clerk. Under the reign of Catherine II, and by his sole personal merit, he was able to attain the highest ranking state assignments becoming a Russian diplomat. Catherine II named him first councillor to Foreign Affairs, as plenipotentiary minister for Russia in France (1783-1784). Although, he fell out of grace under Paul I, in 1801 Alexander I named bun once more Ambassador in Paris. During his assignment, he signed the Peace Treaty between France and Russia but Napoleon, who considered him a little too perceptive, managed to have him recalled to Russia in 1803.