Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 17, 1992

LOT 80

Breguet à Paris, No. 312 and 962, bearing the mark of Jean-François Kalandrin, Fermier Général, Paris 1789.

CHF 30,000 - 35,000

Sold: CHF 32,200

Rare 18 ct. gold, early quarter repeating grande and Petite sonnerie striking, quarter repeating clockwatch. Double body polished case with concealed hinges, by Guillaume Mermillod, of the type used by Breguet for its earlier montres perpétuelles. White enamel dial with Breguet numerals slightly restored and with hair lines). GiIt brass dial-rim engraved : Breguet à Paris No. 312, with a small lever marked : Sonnerie/ Silence and another marked : Quarts seuls. GiIt brass full plate verge movement signed on the back plate: Breguet à Paris No. 962, with cylindrical pillars, fusee with chain, verge escapement, gilt brass continental cock with polished steel end-piece. Striking train with going barrel. Diam. 54 mm.


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Notes

This watch was made before the records, currently preserved by Maison Breguet, were begun, it is therefore impossible to give an exact date of sale, price or name of the buyer, nor to get a certificate. However, at that time, Breguet was not copied yet. According to the case, typical of his early works and made by Guillaume Mermillod who was his early case-maker, we can assume this watch is perfectly genuine. The signature Breguet à Paris was used up until 1791. The fact the number engraved on the dial-rim is different from that engraved on the back plate, means that this watch was sold twice by Breguet, being modified after he first bought it back (when it was sold the first time the dial was certainly with different numerals (the Breguet numerals were not invented yet) and it was almost certainly striking on a bell. This is a good example of the early watches produced by Breguet when he settled in Paris.