Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, P...

New York - The Fuller Building, Mar 28, 2007

LOT 146

Swiss. Made circa 1810. Very fine and rare, gold, "médaillon à tact" lady's pendant watch.

USD 4,000 - 5,000

EUR 3,000 - 3,800

C. Two-body, "bassine et filets", ?sunburst? engine-turned front with small aperture for the dial, engine-turned case band set with touchable hour dots, case back with white gold arrow ?à tact? hand. D. Guilloché gold with painted radial Roman numerals, outer minute dots. Blued steel ?Breguet? hands. M. 12???, gilt, 4 jewels, 4-wheel train, cylinder escapement, 3-arm brass balance, flat balance spring, steel escape wheel, barrel with additional steel wheel to set the ?à tact? hand. Diam. 31 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3-34

Good

Restored by the manufacture
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-6-9-01

Good

Slightly oxidized

Scratched

HANDS Original

Notes

This type of watch was originally designed by A. L. Breguet at the end of the 18th century. In the spring of 1799 he sold the first one to Madame Betancourt, the wife of his most trusted friend. The next ones followed shortly. Some were with small touchpieces, some, with large ones. These were the most expensive watches Breguet ever sold. They very were popular in the early 1800s among the wealthy and powerful. The price was between 10,000 and 15,000 francs, a staggering sum at the time. One of the reasons they were so popular was that they allowed the owner, without to check the time by feeling the? à tact? hand against the touch pieces, without drawing attention to himself.