Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

Hong Kong, Apr 23, 2006

LOT 436

"Sapphire Tourbillon No. 1" Blancpain, "Tourbillon No. 1", Ref. 0023. Made in the 1990s. Very fine and rare, water-resistant, 18K yellow gold and blue sapphire gentleman's wristwatch with visible oneminute flying tourbillon regulator, 8-day power reserve indication, date and an 18K yellow gold Blancpain buckle.

C. Three-body, solid, polished, stepped bezel set with 60 baguette-cut blue sapphires, case back with aperture for the tourbillon cage, sapphire crystals. D. Off white with applied yellow gold radial Roman numerals, subsidiary dials for the up-and-down indication and the days of the months, aperture for the visible tourbillon cage. Yellow gold "Feuille" hands. M. Cal. 23, rhodium-plated, ?fausses côtes? decoration, 19 jewels, straight line lever escapement with flying tourbillon regulator with polished steel arms, monometallic balance adjusted to 5 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating flat balance-spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 34 mm. Thickness 8 mm.