Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

Hog Kong, Feb 26, 2011

LOT 100

Blancpain White Gold Fifty Fathoms Tourbillon, No 20 Blancpain, "JB 1735 ? Fifty Fathoms Tourbillon, 300m/1000ft", No. 20. Made circa 2008. Very fine, 18K white gold, self-winding wristwatch with 8-day power reserve, visible one-minute tourbillon regulator with off-center balance and an 18K white gold Blancpain clasp. Accompanied by the original fitted box, warranty, and instruction booklet.

HKD 170,000 - 250,000

USD 22,000 - 32,000 / EUR 17,000 - 25,000

Sold: HKD 337,500

C. Three-body, solid, polished, unidirectional bezel, transparent back, sapphire crystals. D. Black with applied white gold luminous Arabic, dart and square indexes, subsidiary dials with painted Arabic numerals for the power reserve indication, aperture for the visible tourbillon cage with in-line escapement. White gold luminous hands. M. Cal. 25A, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 29 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance with 5 adjustments, shock-absorber, self compensating flat balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 45 mm. Thickness 14.75 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2-8

Very good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

What is a Tourbillon regulator ?BR A Tourbillon is a regulating mechanism in which the escapement of a movement is housed within a revolving carriage. It was developed in an effort to attain better precision. When a watch is in a vertical position, the force of gravity will speed the balance wheel as it moves in its downward (arc) direction and slow it as it moves upward, creating deviational errors of timekeeping. By placing the balance and escapement in a carriage that revolves 360° per minute, these errors become averaged and the timekeeping becomes constant and consequently adjustable. Created by Abraham Louis Breguet in 1795, the tourbillon is considered a difficult and complex achievement by any watch manufacturer.