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Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 316

Breguet No. 2292, "Montre a Médaillon", sold on October 28, 1890 to Monsieur Labouchère of Amsterdam for 1,500 francs.Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, pearl-set montre à tact with short gold chain and Breguet key, accompanied by a Breguet certificate and original morocco fitted box.

CHF 60,000 - 80,000

USD 38,000 - 50,000

Sold: CHF 74,750

C. By Tavernier, No. 2827. Three-body, "forme quatre baguettes", both covers with translucent pale gray enamel over "sunburst" engine-turning, gold paillon borders, front with small aperture for the dial, back with gold arrow flush with the enamel, pointing to a small knob, band with the same enamel decorated with gold paillon laurel-leaf wreath, twelve pearl touch pieces, detachable cuvette with apertures for winding, setting, regulating and the dial, with two small secret signatures, pendant st with two half-pearls, loose ring, short gold chain with gold Breguet key. D. Silver, small, eccentric set in the front cover aperture, Roman numerals, outer minute dot divisions, engine turned center with "basket" pattern. Blued steel "Baton" hands. M. 34.7 mm, gilt brass, "souscription" caliber with central barrel and five-wheel train, ruby cylinder escapement, plain three-arm brass balance, blued steel flat balance spring, pare-chute on the top pivot.Signed on the cuvette, case numbered.Diam. 41 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent

Case: 3

Good

Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense

Dial: 3 - 05

Notes

The watch was chosen in 1923 by the House of Breguet to represent their achievements in the very prestigious exhibition "Centenaire de A.L. Breguet" held in Paris' Musée Galliera. It was described and illustrated in the catalogue under the No. 91, figure VI. The watch is also described in Prof. Engel's book, p. 114. According to the register, this watch is the same as the preceding one; in this case, the preceding one was bought by the Queen of Spain. It is very rare to find two secret signatureon a cuvette. Pierre-César Labouchère, (1772-1839)Born in The Hague in 1772, he died in Chelmsford, Essex, England, in 1839. From an important Protestant family, his father being a wealthy cloth merchant who settled in Holland in the mid-17th century. After serving an apprentissage in Nantes with one of his uncles from 1785 to 1792, he entered into the Hope firm in Amsterdam, rising to a high position at a young age. While conducting negotiations with the Baring bank in London, he met Baring's daughter Dorothy Elisabeth, whom he was to marry. Tus ties were establishment between the London bank and the Dutch one, with Labouchère's brother-in-law Alexandre Baring becoming his associate in the Hope firm in 1796. At the beginning of the 19th century, he was called upon to play a role in French political affairs, negotiating a loan on the part of King Joseph of Naples, on the condition that the French government participate. After 1806, he became friendly with financier Gabriel-Julien Ouvrard, who introduced him to Fouché. Fouché attemptedto take advantage of Labouchère's English connections - he being the son-in-law of Francis Baring, to whom Lord Wellesley, English Foreign Minister, owed his career - involving him in secret negotiations with Napoleon's consent. These negotiations failed, however, Fouché contacted Labouchère in 1810, having decided to take up the negotiations again, but this time without the Emperor's knowledge. Labouchère believed he was still acting on the Emperor's orders, but when the affair came to light, Npoleon was furious. Labouchère was able to prove his innocence, however, and continued to be employed as negotiator for the Emperor, who sent him, in February 1811, to England for another difficult mission. After the fall of Bonaparte, Labouchère returned to Amsterdam, where he directed the Hope firm, in association with Baring's bank. By 1821, Labouchère had abandoned the direction of the firm to his younger brother Samuel and retired to Chelmsford.