Exceptional Collectors Timepieces, Ho...

Geneva, May 15, 2005

LOT 163

Girard-Perregaux, Chaux-de-Fonds, No. 26996/111543, made circa 1895. Extremely fine and very rare 18K gold, three gold bridge, hunting cased, keyless pocket chronometer with one minute tourbillon regulator, awarded a Bulletin de Première Classe at the Observatoire Cantonal of Neuchâtel.

CHF 150,000 - 180,000

EUR 100,000 - 120,000 / USD 130,000 - 150,000

Sold: CHF 182,250

C. Four body, massive "bassine et gouge", polished. Hinged gold cuvette with engine-turned and chased borderand inscription, glazed gold-rimmed cover. D. White enamel, three-piece, outer minute ring, radial Romannumerals, subsidiary seconds. Blued steel "Breguet" hands. M. 20''', nickel plated, Girard-Perregaux calibre withthree parallel gold bridges, gold wheel train, jewels in gold chatons, pivoted detent escapement with gold escapewheel, cut bimetallic balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring with amplitude safety device, Girard-Perregauxpolished steel tourbillon carriage with index regulator.Signed on the dial, case, cuvette and movement.Diam. 59 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2 - 01

Notes

A very similar chronometer tourbillion is in the collection of Girard-Perregaux and is described and illustrated by Reinhard Meis, in ?Le Tourbillon?, Editions de l'Amateur, Paris 1990, p.145. The patent for the "three bridge" tourbillion watches (No. 144919) was filed in the USA patent office on 25th March 1884: "Be it known that I, Girard Perregaux ... have invented and produced a new and original Design for a Watch-Movement, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description: ? the design for a bridge, consisting a bridge having a central annular portion, spread-out ends and bar-like portions between the said annular portions and ends?" The design, which proved to be highly successful, has been used by Girard-Perregaux ever since. Today, their presti-gious 13??? wrist tourbillon uses the same design. At the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1889, Girard Perregaux received the highest of all awards, a Gold Medal for excel-lence, for his famed three-bridge Tourbillon. Its technical and aesthetic perfection and its impressive finish soon became an unquestioned reference. Due to their extreme complexity, only a handful of these timepieces were ever produced.