Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 14, 2017

LOT 482

''A LA BREGUET'', "AN ISLAND FOR A WATCH" Louis Lacroix a Turin, No. 144. Made circa 1815. Very fine and rare, quarter-repeating, 18K rose gold pocket watch with ruby cylinder escapement.

CHF 3,000 - 5,000

HKD 24,000 - 40,000 / USD 3,000 - 5,000

Sold: CHF 3,750

Four-body, "Empire", master mark ''L.G'' L. Guilhon in Lyon. engine-turned "grains d'orge". Hinged gold cuvette signed ''Louis Lacroix a Turin''. Silver, engineturned, radial Roman numerals on a brushed reserve, outer minute divisions. Bleu steel Breguet hands. . 51 mm., frosted gilt, English-type ruby cylinder escapement with steel escape wheel, plain three-arm balance with parechute on the upper pivot, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator with bimetallic temperature compensation curb, repeating on gongs activated by a pull-and-twist button in the pendant. Cuvette signed, reverse of the dial signed ''A Villeneuve & fils''.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good

Case: 2

Very good

Movement: 3

Good

Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

DIAM. 57. Property of the original family Agostino Ferrari of Millelire, who resided in Montreux, was the direct descendant of Millelire, who ruled over the island Maddalena, located between Corsica and Sardinia. The island was attacked by the french in 1799 and Millelire fought back and defeated Bonaparte, who was in charge of the french artillery. In 1840, the king of Sardinia and of Piemont took possession of the island and to thank Millelire gifted him with the present watch. The millelire family no longer has an island but still possessed the watch.