History: This watch was subsequently delivered by Jourgniac St.Méard to a Count Fortier. According to the repair books it returned for overhaul in 1844 and 1845 at the request of a Monsieur Beauman of 18 Boulevard des Italiens. The repair entry notes that the watch had not been returned since the day of sale in 1794
Provenance: Formerly in the Rothschild collection, this watch is illustrated and described in G.Daniels: The Art of Breguet, p. 130, fig.74 a,b and c, and colour plate X.
Note: Breguet, himself, never claimed to be the inventor of the perpetuelle ( the name he gave to his self-winding watches), the earliest being produced in Switzerland by Abraham Louis Perrelet in approximately 1770. These first examples were unsuccessful due to the inadequecy of the winding system, which virtually required the wearer to proceed at a run in order to keep the movement sufficiently wound. Breguet's design was revolutionary by comparison, and incorporated several new " inventions" that were far ahead of their time: two barrels to enable lighter mainsprings to be used, a carefully balanced "weight" reacting to the slightest movement, and an additional train wheel to provide a going-period of up to 60 hours. The result was a watch that could be used by somebody leading a relatively inactive life, needing only a short time to recharge itself sufficiently to continue working, and could be left unattended for more than two days. The majority of his perpetuelle watches, even from the first series, were constructed on the principals of the garde-temps, with the main pivots jewelled, a detached escapement, and the balance with temperature compensation and elastic suspension (shock protection) on both pivots. Furthermore, they were fitted with a quarter, or even minute repeating mechanism, a state of winding indicator, and in some cases a phase of the moon dial. Most of these innovations were unknown in France at the time, and until the invention of the wristwatch were considered as the ultimate refinements able to be incorporated in an automatic watch. It is therefore little wonder that the introduction of such a watch brought much fame to its creator, with the majority being purchased by the most notable people of the day. Upon his return from Switzerland in 1795, Breguet introduced his overhanging ruby cylinder escapement, which allowed him to produce at a reasonable cost, watches of supreme slimness and elegance and in larger numbers; a considerable help to the re-establishment of his business. By contrast, the perpetuelle was more expensive to make, taking up to two years to complete, and after finishing the initial series, he made no more until approximately 1815. (Refer to the glossary for further details).

JOURGNIAC ST. MÉARD (1745-1827)
Francois Jourgniac St. Méard, originally from Bordeaux, but a Parisian by choice, appears to have spent his entire life getting into, and then out of difficulty. Perhaps his greatest achievement was to escape the guillotine during the September Massacres of the French Revolution. He entered the army at the age of twenty, enlisting in the King's Regiment of Infantry, and eventually achieving the rank of captain; like most officers at Ole time, he was awarded the Croix de Sainte-Louis. At the beginning of the Revolution, and after a series of disagreements with the soldiers of his company, he quit the service in 1790. He then came to Paris and worked as a journalist for the Journal de la cour et de la ville, the most viscous and cynical of the pamphlets, supposedly impartial, that were secretly supported by the Court of Louis XVI, in an attempt to discredit the opposition. Jourgniac was in fact a simple adventurer, an eternal child, hoping to make his fortune as a supporter of the counterrevolution. After 10th August, he was arrested on the orders of the Community watch committee, and thrown into prison at the Abbaye. When the massacres of September began he was able to strike up a friendship with one of the prison guards, a federalist from the Midi, with whom he shared only one thing in common - an ability to speak the local dialect. Nevertheless, he received some good advice, for when brought before the tribunal of Maillard, he defended himself with such style, overwhelming the judges with a stream of flattery and righteousness that he was acquitted. He most certainly deserved to be, if only on the grounds of his courage. His defence, which he conducted himself, was a masterpiece of tact and coolness, for he realised that to claim an imaginary revolutionary zeal would be disastrous. Jourgniac painted a picture of himself as a gentleman, perhaps slightly aristocratic, but a patriot at heart and harmless. Under questioning he admitted that he had quite frankly been a loyalist up to the 10th August - a master stroke, as the 10th August was the date on which the vast majority of the aristocracy had fled. Evidently his performance in court was first class, for having been found innocent, he was surrounded by well-wishers and escorted to his home. Some time later, Jourgniac published a pamphlet entitled: Mon Agonie de 38 heures (Paris 1792), which was remarkably well received, being re-printed in numerous editions. It is a source of information on the massacres at the Abbaye, but of limited value, as he was above all interested in himself, and the events described are seen only from his point of view. After its publication he totally gave up his career as a satirical writer, hoping only that he would be quietly forgotten. Come the Restoration of Louis XVIII, Jourgniac re-started his quest for fame and fortune, besieging the various Ministries with claims and appeals. He demanded a commission as a colonel, and a pension for a start, but since nobody had really heard anything about him, his claims were thrown out. In a tantrum of rage, he began to publish pamphlets attacking the various government departments, stating that his "38 hours" was worth more than twenty campaigns. Eventually supported by Chateaubriand, the famous author, Jourgniac moved heaven and earth in support of his own case, but the final result was the same. He died in 1827, whilst still attempting to get satisfaction of his claims.