Important Collectors’ Watches, Pocket...

Geneva, Oct 14, 2007

LOT 161

?Early Minute Repeating? Breguet a Paris, Swiss, the movement attributable to Decombaz. Made circa 1820. Fine and rare, 18K gold, minute-repeating pocket watch with three hammers striking on square-section gongs.

CHF 4,000 - 6,000

EUR 2,500 - 3,700 / USD 3,300 - 5,000

Sold: CHF 9,440

C. Four-body, "Empire" with reeded band, bolt at 11 o?clock for locking the repeat. Hinged gilt brass cuvette. D. Gold engineturned with radial Roman numerals on a polished chapter ring, outer dot minute indexes. Blued-steel "Breguet" hands. M. Gilt brass, standing barrel, lateral lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator, diamond endstone, polished-steel repeating work on the back plate, repeating with three hammers on two square-section polished-steel gongs activated by depressing the pendant. Apocryphal signature on the cuvette. Diam. 55 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3-19**

Good

Dent(s)

Repair required, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-6-01

Good

Slightly oxidized

HANDS Original

Notes

Decombaz was one of the finest watchmakers working in Geneva at the beginning of the 19th century. He often worked for Breguet, specializing in repeating and complicated watches, and usually used either virgule or cylinder escapements. Minute-repeating watches from this period are very rare.