Geneva, May 12, 2024
LOT 375
BREGUET RETAILED BY LE ROY, MADE FOR THE TURKISH MARKET, QUATER REPEATING PAIR CASE CABRIOLET WATCH, 18K YELLOW GOLD
CHF 35,000 - 55,000
HKD 304,000 - 478,000 / USD 38,700 - 61,000 / EUR 35,700 - 57,000
A very fine and rare 18k gold and enamel, manual wind openface quarter repeating pair case keywound cylinder cabriolet watch, made for the Turkish market. Outer double body, solid, the bezels with foliage decoration against a red flinqué enamel ground, the back and front panels decorated with very finely painted polychrome enamel scenes depicting fantasy harbor views in the Ottoman Empire, the pastel-colored sky with translucent enamel Sunray effect over engine-turned background, quarter repeating pull-twist push-piece in the pendant, gold cuvette.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
|
Case: 2-8 |
Very good Slightly scratched |
Movement: 3* |
Good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 3-01 |
Good HANDS Original |
Brand Breguet retailed by Le Roy
Model made for the Turkish Market
Year Circa 1815
Movement No. 3315
Case No. L 5021
Diameter 53 mm.
Caliber 18''', gilt brass bridges, 7 jewels, free-standing barrel with Breguet continuous stop-work, ruby cylinder escapement, top pivot with a pare-chute, cut-bimetallic compensation regulator, repeating on two gongs with two hammers activated by pull-and-twist piston in the pendant
Signature Dial, case and movement Le Roy (Le Roy Élève de Breguet) dial signed on the reversed by Lucard
Notes
This exquisite timepiece was showcased at the Musée International d'Horlogerie in La Chaux-de-Fonds during the exhibition "L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet," held from May 15th to September 20th, 1976.
Signed 'Leroy Élève de Breguet' and adorned with stylistic elements reminiscent of Abraham-Louis Breguet's Turkish watches, this watch stands as a remarkable testament to Breguet's craftsmanship, sold under the auspices of his representative in Constantinople. Other watches crafted by Breguet for the Turkish market and bearing the signature Le Roy are also noted.
Beginning in 1811, Leroy served as Breguet's agent in Constantinople, managing all sales for the Turkish market thereafter. Leroy's esteemed reputation led Sultan Mahmud II to entrust him with the maintenance of all his clocks and watches.
The intricately decorated cases and finely painted enamel scenes exemplify the superb craftsmanship that distinguished Geneva as the hub of enameling and watchmaking excellence in the 19th century. Designed as a 'Cabriolet,' the two cases allow the watch to be displayed either open, revealing the dial, or closed, showcasing the back of the inner case. The exceptional quality of the case and frame ensures a seamless fit between the inner and outer cases, with virtually no discernible difference between the two sides when used as a hunter case.