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Lot Essay
Accompanied by Philippe Dufour Certificate.
Philippe Dufour was born in the traditional home of watchmaking in Le Sentier, Vallée de Joux, Switzerland and started his career in watchmaking after having obtained his Certificat d'Horloger Rhabilleur, fully qualified watchmaker specializing in repair. After several years abroad, he set up his own workshop in Le Sentier in 1978, specializing in the repair of antique and vintage watches before launching his own line of highly complex wristwatches.
Duality
The invention of a double regulator is attributed to Louis-Abraham Breguet who envisioned using this device in a clock but abandoned the project. 150 years later, the idea was taken up by the Technical School in Le Sentier, Switzerland and in the 1930s, the school's watchmakers fitted a double regulator into a pocket watch. Again some 60 years later, Philippe Dufour was the first watchmaker to use the concept for a wristwatch.
The double regulator is comparable to the tourbillon mechanism and is also compensating for the effects of gravity on the regulating components of the watch. In fact, this devise involves a complex system of a differential, mounted with the two escapements, on the seconds' wheel. The two balance wheels function independently of each other. The differential system compensates for the deviation between them thus reducing by half the potential working error.
According to Philippe Dufour, "these two balance wheels are like two hearts which work together to help each other". Extremely complex to manufacture, the differential system alone is composed of 21 parts (twice as many as the tourbillon), not including the regulating organs. Yet, the whole device measures only 30 mm. in diameter and 4 mm. in thickness.
Working alone, Philippe Dufour makes each component part himself; the finished movement is then placed into a 34 mm. diameter case, available either in platinum, 18K yellow, pink or white gold.
The production of the "Duality" was originally limited to a total of 25 pieces, the purchasers had the option of choosing the number of their watch between 00 and 25. However only nine "Duality" models were manufactured and no further examples will be made.
The present watch, number 00, is the first model of the "Duality" series ever made and furthermore the first one to appear at auction to date.
Philippe Dufour was born in the traditional home of watchmaking in Le Sentier, Vallée de Joux, Switzerland and started his career in watchmaking after having obtained his Certificat d'Horloger Rhabilleur, fully qualified watchmaker specializing in repair. After several years abroad, he set up his own workshop in Le Sentier in 1978, specializing in the repair of antique and vintage watches before launching his own line of highly complex wristwatches.
Duality
The invention of a double regulator is attributed to Louis-Abraham Breguet who envisioned using this device in a clock but abandoned the project. 150 years later, the idea was taken up by the Technical School in Le Sentier, Switzerland and in the 1930s, the school's watchmakers fitted a double regulator into a pocket watch. Again some 60 years later, Philippe Dufour was the first watchmaker to use the concept for a wristwatch.
The double regulator is comparable to the tourbillon mechanism and is also compensating for the effects of gravity on the regulating components of the watch. In fact, this devise involves a complex system of a differential, mounted with the two escapements, on the seconds' wheel. The two balance wheels function independently of each other. The differential system compensates for the deviation between them thus reducing by half the potential working error.
According to Philippe Dufour, "these two balance wheels are like two hearts which work together to help each other". Extremely complex to manufacture, the differential system alone is composed of 21 parts (twice as many as the tourbillon), not including the regulating organs. Yet, the whole device measures only 30 mm. in diameter and 4 mm. in thickness.
Working alone, Philippe Dufour makes each component part himself; the finished movement is then placed into a 34 mm. diameter case, available either in platinum, 18K yellow, pink or white gold.
The production of the "Duality" was originally limited to a total of 25 pieces, the purchasers had the option of choosing the number of their watch between 00 and 25. However only nine "Duality" models were manufactured and no further examples will be made.
The present watch, number 00, is the first model of the "Duality" series ever made and furthermore the first one to appear at auction to date.