Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 454

Breguet, No. 252, sold circa 1840. Very fine, rare, and very early 18K gold and bloodstone pendant watch in original morocco fitted box.

CHF 20,000 - 25,000

EUR 13,000 - 16,000

Sold: CHF 21,850

C. three-piece, back made of a solid piece of jasper mounted in gold, reeded bezels, slot in the band with a regulating lever.D. matte and silvered, champlevé Roman numerals, outer minute dot divisions. Gold Breguet hands. M. 23.5 mm(10 1/2''', gilt brass, bridge caliber, hanging barrel, entirelyjeweled cylinder escapement, three-arm gold balance with flat balance spring, pare-chute on top balance pivot, wolf-tooth winding wheels, winding only in one direction, setting by pulling the crown out.Signed on the dial, numbered on the movement and box.Diam. 27 mm


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 5 - 01

Notes

The watch implements the early stem-wound and stem-set keyless system apparently invented by Breguet. Breguet had experimented with keyless winding and setting mechanisms as early as 1831-1832 see Antiquorum, ew York, April 26, 2001, lot 154. However, his early designs featured two separate arbors, one for winding, the other for setting. The arbors were sometimes concentric, but were always two in number. This design, alluringly simple, as are many Breguet inventions, consists of a double pinion set on a winding stem constructed in such a way that when one portion is disengaged by pulling the crown, the other becomes engaged. At the present, this watch appears to be the earliest with this system. It also appears to be the earliest watch with wolf-tooth winding wheels, a favorite of Patek Philippe 20 years later. In 1850, Breguet abandoned this system in favor of others, among them one invented by Adrien Philippe see Antiquorum, Oct. 19, 1997, lot 50.