Important Collectors Watches, Pocket ...

Geneva, May 10, 2009

LOT 89

Grande & Petite Sonnerie, Minute-Repeating Clockwatch Breguet, No. 680. Made in 1925 and sold to Mr. Jean Dollfus on February 1, 1926 for 13,500 Francs. Extremely fine and extremely rare, important, large and heavy, grande and petite sonnerie striking, 18K yellow gold, huntingcased, keyless two-train clockwatch with trip minute-repeat and helical balance spring. Accompanied by a certificate.

CHF 80,000 - 140,000

USD 70,000 - 122,000 / EUR 53,000 - 92,000

Sold: CHF 84,000

C. Four-body, ?bassine?, solid, polished. Hinged gold cuvette. D. Gold, brushed chapter ring with radial Roman numerals, outer dot minute divisions, subsidiary seconds, engine-turned center and border. Gold spade hands. M. 46 mm., 20???, frosted gilt, twotrains with tandem winding, 33 jewels, counterpoised straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature adjustment screws and platinum meantime adjustment screws, special alloy helical balance spring, index regulator, striking and repeating on gongs, the repeat activated by a trip-slide on the band, grande sonnerie/petite sonnerie, silence/sonnerie selection levers under the bezel. Dial and movement signed, case numbered. Diam. 60 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

The present watch is made in the greatest tradition of Breguet, it is of very high quality and in superb condition. Grande Sonnerie Striking: in which both the hours and the quarters are struck at each quarter. Petite Sonnerie Striking: in which "tingtang" quarters are struck at the quarter hours, but in which the hour is only struck at the hour.
Jean Dollfuss
An industrialist, he was an important client of Breguet in the first half of the 20th century. He and his brother Louis bought many fine watches from Breguet, including:
- a retrograde perpetual calendar pocket watch, No. 4420, 1921 (lot 110 of the ?Art of Breguet? sale, Antiquorum, 1991);
- an extra-flat platinum dress watch, No. 4344, 1921 (lot 140 of the ?Art of Breguet? sale, Antiquorum, 1991);
- a spring detent center-seconds chronometer No. 472, 1924 (lot 120 of the ?Art of Breguet? sale, Antiquorum, 1991);
- a digital jumping hour dress watch No. 1285, 1926 (lot 137 of the ?Art of Breguet? sale, Antiquorum, 1991);
- a lever pocket chronometer, 1928, No. 1939 (lot 105 of the ?Art of Breguet? sale, Antiquorum, 1991);
- a split seconds pocket chronograph No. 2170, 1929 (lot 116 of the ?Art of Breguet? sale, Antiquorum, 1991);
- a unique example of a tonneau-shaped perpetual calendar wristwatch in white gold No. 2516, 1929 (lot 173 of the ?Art of Breguet? sale, Antiquorum, 1991);
- the present lot.