Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

The Ritz-carlton Hotel, Hong-kong, Jun 08, 2002

LOT 268

Le Roy, éléve de Breguet, No. 4344, made for the Islamic market, circa 1830.Very fine and important 18K gold and painted on enamel early minute-repeating watch repeating on three gongs.

HKD 94,000 - 110,000

EUR 13,500 - 15,500 / USD 12,000 - 14,000

Sold: HKD 115,000

C. Four-body, scalloped edge, back cover with a cove with two sailing ships, mountains against the sunset in the background, pink border and bezels with gold scrolling, gold hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, Islamic numerals, outer minute divisions with five-minute Islamic figures. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 40 mm., gilt early bridge caliber, cylinder escapement, three-arm gold balance flat balance spring, entire escapement jeweled, compensation curb, parachute on the top pivot, standing barre, repeating on three gongs by pull-and-twist piston in the pendant.Signed on the cuvette and dial in Arabic characters.Diam. 50 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3 - 6
Movement: 3*

Good

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

Notes

A rare example of an early minute-repeating mechanism still based on the movable star wheel. It was half a century later when Audemars invented a mechanism with fixed star making the hour repeating change more precise and consequently enabling minute-repeating work to be more accurate. Before, makers had straggled with accurate repeating at the end and at the beginning of the hour. Only few succeeded, most notably Breguet and some of his pupils.