Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Mar 17, 2013

LOT 153

Meuron ? Early Perpetuelle Self-Winding Watch Meuron et Comp., ?Perpetuelle?, movement no. 3156, swiss. made circa 1795. Very fine and extremely rare, large, silver, self-winding perpétuelle watch.

CHF 12,000 - 18,000

USD 13,000 - 19,000 / EUR 9,500 - 15,000

Sold: CHF 25,000

C. Two-body, ?Consular?, polished with reeded bezel. D. White enamel, Arabic numerals with outer minute star divisions, Arabic 15-minute numerals. Gold pierced Directoire hands. M. 48.5 mm, frosted gilt, full plate, ogival polished oscillating weight pivoted at the circumference and oscillating between two steel spring bumpers, going barrel, transmission to the mainspring barrel via three wheels, cylinder escapement, three-arm brass balance with flat balance spring mounted on the dial plate, rack and pinion regulation via a silvered scale on the backplate. Dial and movement signed. Diam. 59 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

Early self-winding watches are extremely rare and very few are known. The present watch was made at a time when watchmakers were experimenting with the idea of the `perpetuelle` or self-winding watch mechanism. Whilst it is Breguet who is most famous for the perpetuelle movement, the invention itself is thought to have been made by Perrelet around 1770. During the last quarter of the 18th century several makers attempted to perfect the perpetuelle but most of those watches were not particularly successful requiring considerable movement to maintain enough power. As is well known, Breguet did perfect the mechanism and made watches that reacted to the slightest touch.The present watch is one of the small number of early self-winding watches to survive and of great interest in the development of horology.