DIAM. 36 mm. This important and technically superior watch has a particularly illustrious history first being sold to the 'Iron Duke' - Arthur Wellesley 1st Duke of Wellington, Prince of Waterloo. The Duke was a faithful client of Breguet and he, his agents and his wife acquired a number of pieces beginning in 1814 and culminating in the purchase of a 'Pendule Sympathique' in 1837. Correspondence between the Duke and Breguet concerning his purchases survives in the Breguet Museum. Wellington's victory at Waterloo in 1815 assured his place as one of Britain's greatest military heroes. The Duke bought this watch only eight months after the battle, he was certainly in Paris for the signing of the Treaty of Paris in November 1815 and presumably stayed on into early 1816. In 1823 the watch was resold to Breguet via a Mr. Hawley for 1700 Francs. The name `Hawley`occurs several times in the Breguet archives and usually in connection with watches sold back to Breguet and therefore he was likely to have been the `runner` between London and Paris who could be trusted to handle expensive items for rich clients. In October 1823 the watch was then sold to another of Breguet's major clients the Comte d'Archinto (1783-1861) who owned several of Breguet's most expensive watches. From a noble Milanese family, he was Ambassador to the House of Austria. This watch exemplifies Breguet's genius both from the esthetic as well as the technical point of view. The elegant dial design is still used for wristwatches nearly 200 years later. The balance jewels, which are of sapphire, are made of a single piece.They are pierced only half-way through, so as to form both the pierced jewel and the cap jewel at once. Furthermore, they are friction-fit, today this is common practice in almost all wristwatches, but at the time, when jeweling was far from a common practice, it was unheard-of. The balance is made of two laminae of steel and a special silver/copper alloy which was apparently invented by Breguet and employed in only his best watches including the perpetuelles. Each of its 3 arms is terminated with a block for poising "in the raw", the Breguet counterpart of the English "winged balance". Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (1769 - 1852) was one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century. He is often referred to as the "Duke of Wellington", even after his death, even though there have been subsequent Dukes of Wellington. Wellesley rose to prominence as a general during the Peninsular Campaign of the Napoleanic Wars. Following Napoleon's's exile in 1814, he served as the Ambassador to France and was granted a Dukedom. During the Hundred Days in 1815, he commanded the army which defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. Wellesley's battle record was exemplary, ultimately participating in some 60 battles throughout his military career. He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive commanders of all time, and many of his tactics and battle plans are still studied in military academies around the world. He was twice British Prime Minister and continued as one of the leading figures in the House of Lords until his retirement. He remained Commander-in-Chief of the British Army until his death. To be sold without reserve