THE ART OF BREGUET

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 14, 1991

LOT 42

A Monsieur le Comte Léon Potocki Watch No. 2186, first sold on 12 Floréal an 5 (1 May 1787) under No. 286, new case and dial supplied at the owners request on 8 June 1833, for the price of 540 Francs. Gold watch of Lépine caliber with "à toc" quarter-repeating.

CHF 30,000 - 35,000

Sold: CHF 39,100

Case: 18 ct., three body, quatre baguettes form, engine-turned à grains d'orge. Gilt metal cuvette signed: " Breguet No. 2186".
Dial: Engine-turned silver, signed: "Breguet", with Roman numerals on a plain reserve. Bluedsteel Breguet hands.
Movement: Gilt brass, 21"', of typical Lépine caliber, with suspended barrel, cylinder escpament, three-arm plain brass balance, with parachute on the top pivot. Blued-steel flat balance spring with bimetallic compensation curb on the regulator. Lépine type quarterrepeating work using a single large polished steel hammer, with pull-twist piston in the pendant.
In very good condition. Diam. 53 mm.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view
Image

Notes

History: Constructed under No. 286, this watch was first sold to Monsieur Feraud on the 12 Floréal an 5 for the sum of 840 Francs. Bought back from Monsieur W.H .Dern on 22 September 1806 for 480 Francs, it was resold under No. 2186 to Monsieur Aufresns for the sum of 1200 Francs. On 29 April 1833 the Comte Léon Potocki returned the watch for repair and requested a new gold case and engine-turned silver dial. Maison Breguet deducted the value of the gold from the old case from the cost of the work on the present example. Note: Although made following his return from Switzerland, this watch has a Lépine caliber movement identical to the examples first produced just after Breguet ceased to make fullplate movements (see note for lot 7).