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Hotel Nogalhilton Geneve, Nov 11, 2001

LOT 322

Breguet, No. 2600/450, "Montre Premiere Classe", sold to the Princes d'Espagne à Valancay on October 12, 1811, for 3,600 francs.Very fine and rare 18K gold half quarter-repeating watch with regulator dial, jump hour hand, date and thermometer, with short gold chain and Breguet key, accompanied by a Breguet certificate.

CHF 30,000 - 40,000

USD 19,000 - 25,000

Sold: CHF 43,700

C. Four-body, "forme quatre baguettes" by Secheret, engine-turned, gold, detachable cuvette with winding and regulating apertures. D. Silver, eccentric Roman hour chapter set at III o'clock, center minutes with 10-minute Arabic markers, subsidiary date at IX o'clock, thermometer sector below at VI o'clock. Blued steel Breguet hands.M. 39,05 mm, gilt metal, new bridge caliber, hanging barrel with continuous Breguet stop work, ruby cylinder escapement, three-arm gold balance, blued steel flat balance spring, entire five-wheel train jeweled to the center, transition between the minutes and hours via a wheel set on the double hour snail (assuring jump function), repeating by a single hammer on a gong through pull-and-twist piston in the pendant.Signed on the dial and cuvette, case with serial number and French gold marks, movement stamped 2600 under the dial.Diam. 43 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 6 - 01

Notes

The Spanish Princes at ValencayTalleyrand having suggested to Napoleon that it might be dangerous that the Bourbons remain sovereigns of a neighboring country, the Emperor put his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne, sending the king and princes into exile in 1808. Thus, don Ferdinand, don Carlos and their uncle don Antonio of Spain were the "hosts" of Talleyrand in the Château of Valencay from 1808 to 1814.This watch found its way back to Breguet, who had a policy of always buying back his watches. It was bought back from Mr. Pascal Rubio, renumbered as No. 450 and sold on January 6, 1845, to a Mr. Guntzberger.