Important Watches, Wristwatches and C...

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 18, 1997

LOT 124

Lepine, Horloger de Plmperatrice, a Paris No. 6198, circa 1810. Very fine and rare 18K gold and enamel, diamond-set montre a tact with special escapement.

CHF 70,000 - 80,000

C. Three body, " forme collier with milled rims", azure enamelled cover and back, the azure bans with gold three-leaf clover decoration and diamond-set touch pieces, the back with a revolving diamond-set a tact arrow. Hinged gold cuvette with eccentric small dial aperture. D. Small silver eccentric with Breguet numerals. Blued steel Breguet hands. M. 16 -, gilt brass, Lepine calibre with free standing barrel, virgule escapement, plain brass three-arm balance, blued steel flat balance spring with regulator. Signed on the cuvette and movement. Diam. 39 mm.


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Grading System
Case: 21

Period

Movement: 1

As new

Dial: 4-51

Fair

Partially reprinted

Notes

Note: This watch demonstrates the strong influence of Breguet on the best Parisian makers of his time, even when they were not his pupils. It was produced by Jean-Antoine Lepine, nephew and pupil of the eminent Jean-Antoine Lepine, foreman of the celebrated Parisian workshop, then managed by Pierre-Claude Raguet who succeed to his father-in-law as early as 1784 and was his partner since 1783. Very few "montre a tact" were produced by other makers during Breguet 's life and even after his death. Most of the rare examples, when they were not made by pupils of Breguet, such as Charles Oudin, were produced by Le Roy, in the Palais Royal. No other watches of this type by Lepine are known to have survived. Limited Editions, Special Orders and Presentation Timepieces Most renowned watchmaking firms have at one time or another produced pocket watches, wristwatches and clocks in limited editions. Such special series are sometimes made on special order, such as a market test, or at the request of a particular retailer or again at the special request of a client. More generally, limited edition series are made for the purpose of retailing a very particular and specialized timepiece. It was customary for watchmaking firms to receive special requests from clients to produce complete special series or even single models of pocket watches and clocks. Among wristwatches, one of the earliest examples of a special series is Cartier's SantosDumont, which was first designed in 1904, launched in 1911, re-edited at various times, and is still today a most successful wristwatch. Requests for special series of wristwatches increased around 1920 and particularly so for models made in platinum or steel, as opposed to the official series which were normally in yellow gold. Firms also introduced small series to appeal to a well targeted clientele. Commemorative pocket watches and clocks came under this category, as for example Giibelin's Coronation Collection, a series of about eight carriage clocks, inscribed with the date 12 May 1937, which was specially made for the British market to mark the Coronation of the Queen, now Queen Mother. Other small productions included drivers wristwatches, particularly aimed at the very first car drivers; Mido ' s series of wristwatches with the case in the shape of a car radiator; wristwatches for left-handed people, therefore intended to be worn on the right-hand wrist; Longines' series designed by Lindbergh, which incorporated the hour angle system for aviators; and also specially commissioned timepieces, such as orders placed by royal families, large companies, or institutions, for presentation pieces. All these watches are today very much sought after by collectors, although at the time of their production, they had not been intended to become collector ' s items. More recently, and namely since the "boom" of the Watch Market in the late eighties, watchmaking firms have continued to produce limited edition and special series timepieces, and this time more consciously with the collector in mind. These often commemorate a specific event or anniversary, or are designed by famous artists. In 1988, for example, Andy Warhol designed for Movado the Andy Warhol Times/5 wristwatch; it proved to be such a success, that in 1990 Movado launched The Color of Time designed by the sculptor Arman. The most classic and memorable example of this trend is Patek Philippe's limited edition remake of the Offtier wristwatch; it was specially made in celebration of the firm's 150th anniversary and launched together with the Jump Hour 150th anniversary wristwatch. Other commemorative limited editions launched are, for example, the Reverso by Jaeger LeCoultre, the Mercator by Vacheron & Constantin, the Janus by Universal. Smaller makers like Frank Muller or Daniel Roth followed in the same line, producing series in very few examples and usually numbered. These were specifically aimed at a privileged clientele of collectors whose incentive is that of owning a most exceptional watch. It is with this aspect of the market in mind that Antiquorum is now introducing in its auctions a special section dedicated to Limited Editions, Special Orders and Presentation Timepieces. Since they were produced in small quantities, these creations are generally no longer available on the retail market and, in virtue of their elegance, design, complications or advanced technology, are in great demand among watch collectors and connoisseurs.