The Sandberg Watch Collection

Hotel Richemond, Geneva, Mar 31, 2001

LOT 77

Breguet, No. 4821, sold by Fossin et Fils, Paris, to Prince A. Demidoff on 3 December 1842 for FF 2,500.Extremely fine and rare 18 ct. gold hardstone-set watch with a special escapement.

CHF 20,000 - 30,000

USD 12,000 - 18,000

Sold: CHF 179,500

C. Four-body, 'forme quatre baguettes', the back cover with a mosaic forming a Gothic rosette of lapis lazuli, bloodstone, red Jasper, white chalcedony and Italian man-made antique goldstone, the band set with the same hardstones, gold detachable cuvette. D. Eccentric, set at the top within a single piece of bloodstone, with a similar mosaic decoration. Roman chapters on white agate cartouches, outer minute ring made of 60 pieces of red Jasper. M. 31.6 mm o, gilt brass bar calibre, 6 jewels, haning barrel, overhanging ruby cylinder escapement, plain gold three-arm balance, blued-steel balance spring, pare-chute shock protection on the top pivot, unusual stud holder, regulator through the cuvette, wound with a male key.Signed and numbered on the cuvette, case stamped with the casemaker's mark in lozenge, pendant stamped with French gold mark.Diam. 37 mm. Published in the Sandberg book, page 216-217.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 18
Movement: 3 - 5 - 6*
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

Although not sold until 1842, the watch is found in the earlier main Breguet register, described as a 'boite a incrustations'. It has a very unusual case and dial for Breguet, apparently made for a special order. This type of watch, with regular gold case and enamel dial, cost about FF 1,000. The additional FF 1,500 were just for the case and the dial.Breguet Abraham LouisFor a biography, see page 229.Jean-Baptiste Fossinwas a prominent Parisian jeweller, more often a client or agent of Breguet than a partner., However on occasion Breguet and Fossin co-operated, in particular with watches with boîtes à incrustations. There is one other similar watch (No. 208, Nouvelle Series) signed the same way. Apparently, Fossin specialised in jewellery with hardstone mosaics.