A Monsieur L.H. Dulles Astronomical watch No. 1639, sold on 29 July 1929, for the sum of 40,000 Francs. Gold watch with perpetual calendar, phase of the moon, differential equation of time and sunrise/sunset indication. Original red leather fitted case. | THE ART OF BREGUET | Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, 14th April 1991

THE ART OF BREGUET

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 14, 1991

LOT 119

A Monsieur L.H. Dulles Astronomical watch No. 1639, sold on 29 July 1929, for the sum of 40,000 Francs. Gold watch with perpetual calendar, phase of the moon, differential equation of time and sunrise/sunset indication. Original red leather fitted case.

CHF 500,000 - 600,000

Sold: CHF 446,250

Case: 18 ct., four body, polished,No.B.1639, bassine form, with concealed hinges. Gold cuvette signed: "Breguet, No. 1639".
Dial: White enamel, signed: "Breguet, No. 1639", with Roman numerals, subsidiary dials for the hours of sunrise and sunset, months of the year with concentric aperture for the phase of the moon, date ring with concentric week days and subsidary seconds. Blued-steel Breguet hands, with gold "sun" hand for the equation of time.
Movement: Rhodiumed maillechort, 20"', by Victorin Piguet, with fausses côtes decoration, 21 jewels, counterpoised straight line lever escapement, bimetallic two-arm compensation balance, adjusted for all positions and temperatures. Blued-steel Breguet balance spring. Concentric differential equation of time mechanism by Léon Aubert,the sub-platform on the back plate comprised of three wheels and pinions, spring and jumper, with pivoted rack and kidney cam on the year wheel,revolving once per hour, a fifteen point star advancing the equation train and receiving one impulse every 24 hours,the central pinion with an extra long pivot passing through the centre of the movement to carry the'hand. Sunrise and sunset mechanism mounted under the dial with the perpetual calendar sub-plate.
In perfect condition. Diam. 56 mm.

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Notes

History: This watch was made for Breguet by the finest specialist of the period: Les Fils de Victorin Piguet, and it is registered in their books under the Nos. 120a and 120b. The differential equation, and sunrise/sunset mechanism were made by Léon Aubert, but taking into account the date of delivery it would appear that they were finished after the death of Aubert, by his pupil and successor Paul-Auguste Golay.
Note: In his article published in: Chronométrofilia, No. 27, Winter 1989, Daniel Aubert, the grandson of the maker, describes this watch and publishes original photographs of the equation and sunrise/sunset mechanism taken during~ the manufacture, alongside an extract from the records of: Les Fils de Victorin Piguet. It would appear that apart from the prototype made by Léon Aubert, only four watches were made by the firm with this form of equation mechanism: Patek Philippe No. 198023, sold on 6 April 1927 to J.W. Packard, and recently acquired by Patek P h i l i p p e for their museum, an example supplied to Vacheron & Constantin and two others including the one currently offered for sale. All the movements are virtually identical except for minor finishing details. A copy of the article written by Monsieur Daniel Aubert is available. The times of sunrise/sunset are calculated for the latitude of New York.