Important Collectors’ Wristwatches,Po...

New York, Mar 23, 2005

LOT 266

Breguet, ?Souscription Set No. 60,? Ref. 3430 (the wristwatch) and Ref. 1819 (the pocket watch). Made in a small series in 1991 to celebrate Antiquorum?s Geneva auction ?The Art of Breguet? in April 1991. Extremely fine, rare and important set comprising a minute-repeating, astronomic, 18K yellow gold gentleman?s wristwatch with perpetual calendar, moon phases, 18K yellow gold Breguet buckle and a large, keyless, astronomic, self-winding pocket watch with instantaneous calendar, moon phases and 45-hours power-reserve. Accompanied by a hazelnut root presentation cabinet with winding provision for the wrist-watch and 18K yellow gold magnifying glass, screwdriver, chain, setting pins, other accessories and an instruction manual.

USD 120,000 - 150,000

EUR 100,000 - 120,000

Sold: USD 127,100

C. The Wristwatch Three-body, solid, polished, reeded band, straight lugs with gold-screwed bars, transparent case back, sapphirecrystal. D. Two-tone "guilloché" silvered gold with painted radial Roman numerals on a plain outer reserve,subsidiary silver ring dials for the days of the month, of the week, the months, the leap year, sector graduationfor the age of the moon, aperture for the moon phases. Blued steel "Breguet" hands. M. Cal. 567, rhodium plated,?fausses côtes? and ?oeil-de-perdrix? decoration, 30 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balanceadjusted to 5 positions, shock-absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, ?swan-neck? micrometerregulator, repeating on gongs by activating slide on the band.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 37 mm. Thickness: 12 mm. ?Montre Perpétuelle"The Pocket Watch C. Three-body, "Empire,? solid, polished, stepped bezels, reeded band, transparent case back. D. Two-tone "guil-loché"silvered gold with painted radial Roman numerals on a plain outer reserve, outer dot minute divisions,subsidiary ring dial for the seconds, subsidiary sectors for the age of the moon and the up-and-down indication,apertures for the moon phases at 2 and the instantaneous date at 6. Blued steel "Breguet" hands. M. Cal. 51 mm(22???), frosted gilt, bridge caliber, wound by a half-ogival platinum (.960) weight with sapphire rollers to reducefriction, swinging on a pivoted curved arm for additional elasticity, two spring-loaded bumpers, Philippe slippingmainspring over-winding prevention, 25 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance, "para-chute"shock-absorber on both pivots, self-compensating Breguet balance-spring, micrometer regulator.Dial, case and movement signed.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 2

Very good

Dial: 1 - 01

Notes

Souscription Abraham-Louis Breguet conceived the idea for his ?Souscription? watches in 1794 while,exiled in Switzerland, during the French Revolution which forced him to leave Paris. The concept was brilliant and simple ? to offer a watch to his clients that could be reserved in advance, for a down-payment of course and be delivered upon completion. To celebrate more than 200 years in the history of the Breguet firm, Montres Breguet created the ?Souscription? set. The first set, No. 1, a unique set of both watches being cased in a platinum and 18K pink gold case, was sold during Antiquorum?s Geneva auction ?The Art of Breguet? on April 14, 1991.