Collector's Pocket Watches, Wristwatc...

New York, Grand Havana Room, May 21, 2003

LOT 142

"Breguet à Versailles", Grand Complication "Tourbillon 1801-2001",No. 24/28, Ref. 1801BB. Produced expressely in a limited edition of 28 examples in 2001 to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the invention of the tourbillon by Abraham-Louis Breguet.Extremely fine, rare and important, large, hunter case-type, water-resistant, 18K white gold gentleman's wristwatch with visible one-minute tourbillon regulator and an 18K white gold Breguet deployant clasp. Accompanied by a tourbillon certificate and a loupe.

C. four-body, solid, polished and brushed, hinged hand-"guilloché" cover with porthole and engraved "Tourbillon" plaque, opened by a co-axial push-button in the winding crown, transparent case back to view the movement, reeded band, straight lugs with gold-screwed bars, sapphire crystals. D. white enamel, off-center dial with painted radial Breguet numerals and marked "1801-2001". Secret "Breguet" signature, "Breguet" blued steel hands. At 6 o'clock, the visible tourbillon cage under a polishedbridge, carrying the blued steel seconds hand. M. Cal. 557 entirely hand-engraved and signed "Tourbillon Breguet Nr. 1887. Brevet du 7 Messidor ans 9", 21 jewels, lateral lever escapement with one-minute tourbillon regulator with 3 equidistant polished steel arms, monometallic balance adjusted to 6 positions, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 42 mm.