THE ART OF BREGUET

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 14, 1991

LOT 173

A Monsieur jean Dollfus Wristwatch No. 2516, completed on 24 October 1929, sold on 28 February 1934, for the sum of 11,000 Francs, and engraved on the back: " Souvenir de jean Dollfus à son frère Louis pour ses 500 heures de vol, Décembre 1933". Unique white gold gentleman's astronomical wristwatch, with instantaneous perpetual calendar and phases of the moon.

Case: 18 ct., massive, polished, tonneau form, with hinged back and rounded lugs.
Dial: Mat silver with Breguet numerals, + subsidiary dials for seconds, date, day of the week and months, aperture for moon phases with age marked on the border. Blued-steel Breguet hands.
Movement: Rhodiumed, 10"', with fausses côtes decoration, 18 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance adjusted for 5 positions. Blued-steel Breguet balance spring. Signed on the dial, the case and the movement. Breguet case.
In excellent condition. Dim. 26 x 39 mm.


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Notes

History: Purchased by jean Dollfus in 1934 as a gift for his brother Louis. Returned for overhaul in 1935 and again in 1958, by Louis Dollfus on both occasions. Note: This watch is certainly unique m Breguet's work being the earliest and the only example of its type that they made. Research in the records proves that there were no others produced. It may well also be the earliest purpose-built wristwatch with perpetual calendar ever made by any firm, as although a fine example by Patek Philippe dating from 1925 is preserved in their Museum, it was built using an existing miniature pendant watch movement. (See Patek Philippe wristwatches, page 213). Significantly, Dollfus paid 11,000 Francs to Breguet for the watch, a fabulous price, particularly when compared with another complicated wristwatch, also sold in 1934, in platinum, with self winding and up-anddown, which already cost 6500 Francs. The instantaneous system, using a single complex lever to advance all the calendar functions at the same moment, requires an exceptionally high standard of workmanship if it is to function correctly. In a pocket watch, the relatively large spring is able to provide a sufficient reserve of power to overcome the inherent friction created by the various discs needing to be advanced; however, far less force is available in a wristwatch, particularly a small and slim example such as this, and all the parts must therefore be crafted and finished to the highest standards. The form of the case and layout of the dial are classic examples of the Art Deco style and it is interesting to note how the Breguet numerals, created 150 years before, perfectly complement the overall design.