Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003

LOT 540

Breguet, No. 5375, circa 1865.Sold to Mr. Videcocq on december 30, 1871.Highly important and very rare 18K gold keyless pocket fusee chronometer with 30-hour power reserve indicator, free-sprung helical hairspring and special winding mechanism.

CHF 18,000 - 22,000

EUR 12,500 - 15,000 / USD 13,500 - 16,000

Sold: CHF 21,850

C. Four-body, "bassine et filets", engine-turned back with initial "V" among stylized foliage, gold hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, five-minute Arabic markers, up-and-down indicator at 12 o'clock, subsidiary sunk seconds. Blued steel "spade" hands. M. 45 mm. (20'''), early bridge caliber, fusee and chain, 15 jewels, Earnshaw type spring detent chronometer escapement, heavy cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold temperature screws and platinm mean-time nuts, free-sprung helical balance spring with terminal curves, diamond endstone, gold escape wheel, very unusual and ingenious winding mechanism with blocking provision when fully wound, set by moving a bolt on the band at 2 o'clock.Signed on the cuvette.Diam. 53 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3
Movement: 3*
Dial: 3 - 19 - 01

Notes

At the time this watch was made, fusee watches were very rare in France. In addition, the watch employs a very unusual and ingenious winding mechanism with blocking provision when fully wound. Breguet experimented with keyless winding mechanisms for going barrel watches very early (see note to previous lot), but it has never yet been recorded that he also experimented with keyless winding mechanism for fusee watches.