Important Watches, Collector's Wristw...

The Ritz-carlton Hotel, Jun 06, 2004

LOT 455

Animal Fantasia Breguet, No?s. 1001 to 1010, made in 1994 on special order from an Oriental Royal Family. Magnificent set of ten 18K gold keyless astronomical self-winding perpetuelle watches with 45-hour power reserve indication, instantaneous date, phases and age of the moon, fully engraved movement, each representing a different animal motif inspired by the Chinese zodiac and folklore. Accompanied by the original mahogany fitted box, gold magnifying glass and gold setting pin.

HKD 1,500,000 - 2,500,000

EUR 170,000 - 270,000 / USD 200,000 - 320,000

Sold: HKD 1,615,000

C. Three-piece, ?Empire?, glazed on both sides, reeded band, polished bezels. D. Thin silvered gold radial Roman chapter ring, outer minute dot divisions, silver sector at 11 for power reserve, phase of the moon aperture at 1 o?clock with lunar age scal, subsidiary seconds at 6 with aperture for date. Blued steel ?Breguet? hands. M. 51 mm (22 1/2???), gilt brass fully engraved bridge caliber, wound by half-ogival platinum (.960) weight, swinging on a pivoted curved arm for additional elasticity, two spring-loaded bumpers, Philippe slipping mainspring over-winding prevention, oscillating weight with sapphire roller for reducing friction, 24 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance with self-compensating Breguet balance spring, parachute on both pivots, micrometricregulator.Dial and movement signed.Diam. 62 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1

As new
Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

These watches are based on the original model for Breguet perpetuelles, which he produced in the early 19th century. For an example see Antiquorum?s Exceptional Horological Works of Art, October 2002, No. 146. Upon his return from Switzerland in 1795, Breguet began working on improvements to the self-winding watch, or the ?perpetuelle?, as he called it. The first self-winding watches met with limited success, due to the limitations of the winding system, which virtually required the wearer to proceed at a run in order to keep the movement sufficiently wound. Breguet?s design was revolutionary by comparison, and incorporated several new ?inventions? that were far ahead of their time: two barrels to enable lighter mainsprings to be used, a carefully balanced ?weight? reacting to the slightest movement and an additional train wheel to provide a going-period of up to 60 hours. The result was a watch that could be used by somebody leading a relatively inactive life, which required only a short time to recharge itself sufficiently to continue working, and could be left unattended for more than two days. The majority of his ?perpetuelle? watches, even from the first series, were constructed on the principle of the ?garde-temps?, with the main pivots jeweled, a detached escapement, and the balance with temperature compensation and elastic suspension (shock protection) on both pivots. Furthermore, they were fitted with a quarter, or even minute-repeating mechanism, a state of winding indicator, and in some cases a phase of the moon dial. Most of these innovations were unknown in France at the time, and until the invention of the wristwatch, were considered the ultimate refinements in an automatic watch. It is therefore little wonder that the introduction of such a watch brought much fame to its creator, and attracted the interest of the most notable people of the day. ?Perpetuelles? were among the most sought-after of Breguet watches, costing the substantial sum of FF4000. Two hundred years later the House of Breguet decided to pay homage to the ?perpetuelle? which resulted in the creation of a small series of exceptionally executed perpetuelle watches.