Exceptional Collectors Timepieces, Ho...

Geneva, May 15, 2005

LOT 195

Breguet, No. 1238, montre à médaillon sold to Monsieur Castaneda on 6 Prairial an 12 (May 26, 1805) for 1500 francs. Very fine and rare gold, enamel and pearl set montre à tact. Accompanied by a Breguet certificate.

CHF 40,000 - 60,000

EUR 25,000 - 40,000 / USD 35,000 - 50,000

Sold: CHF 46,000

C. By Tavernier, No. 1959/1115. Three-body, "forme quatre baguettes", front cover with translucent pale greenenamel over "sunburst" engine-turning, back with gold and seed pearl set arrow, reeded band with twelve pearltouch pieces (including the pendant), detachable polished cuvette with apertures for winding, setting, regulatingand the dial, pendant set with seed pearls, loose ring. D. Silver, small, eccentric set in the cuvette aperture, Breguetnumerals, outer minute dot divisions. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 36 mm, gilt brass, souscription caliber withcentral barrel and five-wheel train, ruby cylinder escapement, plain three-arm brass balance, blued steel flatbalance spring, blued steel regulator arm with arc terminal.Signed and numbered on the cuvette, case numbered and punched with Tavernier's mark.Diam. 40.5 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3 - 40
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3 - 6 - 01

Notes

The name of Castaneda comes up in Abraham-Louis Breguet?s correspondence and appears frequently among the buyers in Breguet?s sales ledgers. As is explained by Emmanuel Breguet in his book, "Breguet Horloger depuis 1775", Mr. Castaneda was one of the couriers. These were specialized companies handling commercial transactions as well as the transport of merchandise, in this case between France and Spain. Mr. Castaneda must therefore have been a Spanish businessman who traveled regularly to France, liaising with important Spanish clients, and particularly the Spanish royal court.