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Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 312

Breguet, No 164, "montre perpe-tuelle", sold on 24 Ventose An 4 (March 13, 1796) to Monsieur Legras, ami de Rougemont.Very important and rare, 18K gold, astronomical quarter-repeating self-winding perpetuelle with 60-hour power reserve, date, phases and age of the moon, with short gold chain and Breguet key, accompanied by a Breguet certificate and original Desoutter morocco fitted box.

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Sold: CHF 663,500

C. Two-body, collar form, whole engine-turned in "à grains d'orge" pattern with polished circle on the back cover, locking steel lever at the pendant. D. Silver, radial Roman numerals, outer minute dot divisions, sunk subsidiary seconds, up-and-down indicator at X o'clock, symmetrically to the right aperture for the phases of the moon with a sector for its age on the edge, date aperture above VI o'clock. Mounted to gilt brass à bate levée ring. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 47,20 mm (21'''), gilbrass three-quarter plate, two going barrels, tandem winding with wolf-tooth winding gears, five-wheel train, straight-line lever escapement, four-arm (two short, two long) steel and platinum jeweled and capped compensation balance with two screwed quarter-turn lamina segments terminated with a threaded pin at the free end for platinum temperature nuts, four platinum mean time screws, of which two pass through a hole at the free end of each segment securing it laterally, blued steel helical balnce spring with both terminal curves, lift on the pallets, no draw, no oil retention slots, single trapezoidal roller table with inserted trapezoidal jewel working between two upright steel pins mounted at the end of the fork, long fork with banking over the escape wheel arbor with U-shaped end, early-form pare-chute on both pivots. Ogival platinum weight swinging between two spring-loaded ruby rollers mounted to the case with a stop mechanism triggered when fully wound, Breguet-type repeating mchanism with all-or-nothing and fixed star wheel, repeating with a single hammer on a short gong fixed to the case by depressing the pendant, tone adjustment screw in the "à bate levée" ring.Signed "Breguet" with the serial number on the dial ring and on the dial.Diam. 55 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3 - 14
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 01

Notes

One of the famous early "perpetuelles" for which Breguet became famous. The watch is described and illustrated in "The Art of Breguet" by George Daniels, fig. 113 and in Professor Engel's book pp. 84,130,147,148.Breguet himself never claimed to be the inventor of the "perpetuelle" ( the name he gave to his self-winding watches), the earliest being produced in Switzerland by Abraham Louis Perrelet in approximately 1770. These first examples were unsuccessful due to the inadequacy of the winding system, which virtually required the wearer to proceed at a run in order to keep the movement sufficiently wound. Breguet's design was revolutionary by comparison, and incorporated several new "inventions" that wee far ahead of their time: two barrels to enable lighter mainsprings to be used, a carefully balanced "weight" reacting to the slightest movement, and an additional train wheel to provide a going-period of up to 60 hours.The result was a watch that could be used by somebody leading a relatively inactive life, needing only a short time to recharge itself sufficiently to continue working, and able to be left unattended for more than two days. The majority of his perpetuelle watches, even from the first series, were constructed on the principle of the "garde-temps", with the main pivots jeweled, a detached escapement, and the balance with temperature compensation and elastic suspension (shock protection) on both piots. Furthermore, they were fitted with a quarter-, or even minute-repeating mechanism, a state of winding indicator, and in some cases phases of the moon dial. Philippe Legras, (1752-1824)Born in Dijon, he was prosecutor in the Parliament of that city before the Revolution. He was at first opposed to the Revolution, and was persecuted for his opinions. Arriving in Paris after the fall of Robespierre, he became friendly with Maret, later the Duke of Bassano, and when the latter became influential, he obtained favors from the governement. In 1805 he became a member of the commission which was writing the "code de commerce". Following his work for his commission, he was awarded theross of the "Légion d'Honneur" in 1806 and was named to the Conseil d'Etat. After the fall of the Empire, Legras retired to Dijon, where he died on 14 April 1824.