Exceptional horologic works of art

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Oct 11, 2003

LOT 455

Breguet, Horloger de la Marine Royale, No. 3054/590 sold to Le Comte d'Archinto on April 21, 1820 for 4800 Francs. Very fine and very rare 18K gold half quarter-repeating watch with jump-hour hand, built on the principles of the Garde-Temps, accompanied by gold chain bar fitted with a gold key.

CHF 18,000 - 25,000

EUR 11,700 - 16,000

Sold: CHF 23,000

C. four-body, "forme quatre baguettes", engine-turned, gold hinged cuvette. D. white enamel, by Droz, Roman numerals, subsidiary sunk seconds. Gold Breguet hands. M. 42.8 mm. (19''', frosted gilt, bridge caliber with hanging barrel, jeweled to the center (20 jewels, straight line calibrated lever escapement with draw on both pallets, brass escape wheel with oil-retention holes, 3-arm cut bimetallic compensation balance with gold and platinum screws, Breguet balance spring, repeating on gong by a single hammer through an imtermediate lever by pull-and-turn piston at 2 o'clock.Signed on dial and case, case punched with French guarantee mark on the pendant.Diam. 48 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3 - 14
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3- 12 - 01

Good

Notes

It is exceptionally well-finished, hence the very high price that Count d'Archinto paid for it. The escapement is superbly finished with gold temperature adjustment screws and platinum poising/timing ones, the 20-tooth escape wheel has an oil-retention hole on each tooth - a miniscule V-shaped hole terminating at the locking face of the tooth, assuring a continuous supply of oil to the pallets. The repeating mechanism is based on a specially designed system which Breguet adopted from Stogden's. The massive case is finished with very fine, dense engine-turning and fitted with a gold cuvette..