Important Collectors Wristwatches, P...
Geneva, Oct 04, 2009
LOT 344
Platinum Tourbillon Squelette Breguet, "Tourbillon Squelette", No. 3512 N, Ref. 3355 PT. Sold on February 21, 2003. Very fine and rare, skeletonized and hand-engraved, platinum wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator and a platinum Breguet deployant clasp. Accompanied by the original box and certificate.
CHF 60,000 - 80,000
USD 57,000 - 75,000 / EUR 40,000 - 53,000
Sold: CHF 132,000
C. Three-body, solid, polished, straight curved lugs, gold screwed bars, reeded band, transparent case back, sapphire crystals. D. Transparent with painted radial Roman numerals and indexes on an off-center ring dial at 12 for hours and minutes, at 6 the visible tourbillon cage under a hand-engraved steel bridge bearing a 3-spoke blued steel seconds hand for the seconds sector. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. Cal. 13''', skeletonized and hand engraved, 21 jewels, lateral lever escapement with tourbillon regulator and polished steel cage with 3 equidistant arms, monometallic balance, self-compensating Breguet balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness 9 mm.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
|
Case: 2 |
Very good |
Movement: 2* |
Very good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 01 |
HANDS Original |
Notes
A Tourbillon is a regulating mechanism in which the escapement of a movement is housed within a revolving carriage. It was developed in an effort to attain better precision. When a watch is in a vertical position, the force of gravity will speed the balance wheel as it moves in its downward (arc) direction and slow it as it moves upward, creating deviational errors of timekeeping. By placing the balance and escapement in a carriage that revolves 360° per minute, these errors become averaged and the timekeeping becomes constant and consequently adjustable. Created by Abraham Louis Breguet in 1795, the tourbillon is considered a difficult and complex achievement by any watch manufacturer.