OMEGAMANIA

Geneva, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Du Rhône, Apr 15, 2007

LOT 40

BASIL II, ?LE BULGAROCTONE?

Omega, Ref. 792.18, No. 4431567, case No. 5172301. Made in February 1914 for the Swiss National Exposition in Berne where Omega won the ?Médaille d?Or?. Exceptionally fine, unique and important, 18K yellow gold and enamel exhibition dress watch. This watch is sold with box, Certificate of Authenticity and a 2-year Omega guarantee.

CHF 30,000 - 40,000

EUR 20,000 - 25,000 / USD 25,000 - 33,000

Sold: CHF 44,840

C. Four-body "bassine et gouge", decorated bezels with a royal blue champlevé decoration with red and blue enameled dots, the back with translucent champlevé enamel portrait of Basil Il the Bulgar-slayer, after the original by Kekaumenos, painted in 1019, against a chased cloudy ground. Gold cuvette engraved ?Omega, Grand Prix Paris 1900?. D. Matte solid gold dial with Art-Nouveau Arabic numerals and sunk subsidiary seconds, at the center a polychrome enamel angel. Blued steel "cathedral" hands. M. Cal. 18??? LOCCs, gilt brass, 17 jewels, 8 in screwed gold chatons, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring micrometric index regulator. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 49.5 mm. Property of an Italian Collector


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 2

Very good
Dial: 2-01

Very good

HANDS Original

Notes

This watch is illustrated in Omegamania, by Marco Richon, Chapter 10, p.679. The decoration of this watch is drawn from a polychrome painting of an incunable done by Kekaumenos in 1019, representing Basillio Il Bulgaroctono.

Basil II the Bulgar-Slayer (Basileios II Boulgaroktonos) (958 ? 1025)
was Byzantine emperor from January 10, 976 to December 15, 1025. Under his reign the Byzantine Empire attained its greatest glory in nearly five centuries. His father, Emperor Romanos II, died in 963 when he was only five. The kingdom was ruled by two generals, Nikephoros II and then John I Tzimisces, until Basil took the throne in 976. Basil was a strong ruler and an able general, who did not at first display the full extent of his energy. A capable administrator, he - unlike the other soldier-emperors - left a full treasury upon his death. He was worshipped by his army, as he spent most of his reign campaigning with them instead of sending orders from the distant palaces of Constantinople. He lived a soldier?s life, eating the same daily rations as his troops. His reign was followed by 50 years of prosperity and intellectual growth, due to the healthy finances of the state were healthy and the fact that the borders were not in danger from intruders. The empire remained the most powerful political entity of the Middle Ages.

Cal. 18??? LOCCs
L = Lépine; O = Omega caliber; C = 15-19 jewels/ 7-8 chatons; micrometer regulator adjusted to less than one minute per week (Bulletin de Marche on request); Cs = Finer C quality gold pieces.