SIGNED BREGUET, NO. 2468, SOLD TO MONSIEUR BYRN ON 3 OCTOBER 1814

Details

Breguet. A fine and rare 18K gold openface quarter repeating cylinder watch
Signed Breguet, No. 2468, sold to Monsieur Byrn on 3 October 1814
Cal. 21''' gilt-finished ruby cylinder movement, plain three arm brass balance with parachute on the top pivot, blued steel flat balance spring with bimetallic compensation curb on the regulator, quarter repeating on two polished steel hammers onto a gong, gold cuvette, the white enamel dial with Breguet numerals, blued steel Breguet hands, secret signature No. 2468 Breguet to 12 o'clock, signature Breguet et Fils underneath 6 o'clock, in circular engine-turned case, quarter repeating mechanism activated by the pull-twist push-piece in the pendant, together with a short length of gold chain and gold ratchet key, case numbered and stamped with casemaker's initials JLJ for Jean-Louis Joly, cuvette signed and numbered, dial signed Breguet et Fils and numbered, movement numbered underneath the dial
51 mm. diam.

Special notice

This lot is offered without reserve. From time to time, Christie's may offer a lot which it owns in whole or in part. This is such a lot.

Lot Essay

Accompanied by later Breguet Certificate confirming manufacture of the present watch and its subsequent sale to Monsieur Byrn in 1814. Furthermore delivered with a red leather presentation box stamped Breguet Paris.

Abraham Louis Breguet is widely recognized as the inventor of the ressort-timbre or wire gong for repeating watches. This technique, developed around 1783, using a wire gong instead of a bell, improved not only the quality of the sound but especially helped to reduce the thickness of a watch considerably.

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