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Lot 243 Masterpieces from the workshops of Abraham-Louis Breguet
The following six lots, 243 to 248, are superb examples of timepieces made by the workshops of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) and his successors, widely acknowledged for having set the standard by which all fine watchmaking has been judged ever since.
Abraham-Louis Breguet was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, but it was in Paris that he spent most of his productive life. No aspect of watchmaking escaped his study, and his inventions were as fundamental to horology as they were varied. His career started with a series of breakthroughs: the development of the successful self-winding perpétuelle watches, the introduction of the gongs for repeating watches and the first protection for balance pivots.
Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie-Antoinette, were early enthusiasts of Breguet's watchmaking. Each watch from his workshops demonstrated the latest horological improvements in an original movement, mostly fitted with lever or ruby-cylinder escapements that he perfected. Breguet took refuge in Switzerland from the excesses of the French Revolution. He returned to Paris overflowing with the ideas that produced the Breguet balance spring, his first carriage clock (sold to Napoleon Bonaparte), the "sympathique" clock and its dependent watch, the tact watch, and finally the tourbillon, patented in 1801.
Breguet became the indispensable watchmaker to the scientific, military, financial and diplomatic elites of the age. His timepieces ruled the courts of Europe. For his most celebrated clients, Breguet designed exceptional timepieces. For Caroline Murat, queen of Naples, conceived in 1810 the world's very first wristwatch. Honours saluted his enormous contribution to horology. Appointed to the Board of Longitude and as chronometer-maker to the navy, he entered the Academy of Sciences and received the Legion of Honour from the hands of Louis XVIII.
When he died in 1823, all mourned the architect of the greatest revolution in the science and art of timekeeping.
The following six lots, 243 to 248, are superb examples of timepieces made by the workshops of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) and his successors, widely acknowledged for having set the standard by which all fine watchmaking has been judged ever since.
Abraham-Louis Breguet was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, but it was in Paris that he spent most of his productive life. No aspect of watchmaking escaped his study, and his inventions were as fundamental to horology as they were varied. His career started with a series of breakthroughs: the development of the successful self-winding perpétuelle watches, the introduction of the gongs for repeating watches and the first protection for balance pivots.
Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie-Antoinette, were early enthusiasts of Breguet's watchmaking. Each watch from his workshops demonstrated the latest horological improvements in an original movement, mostly fitted with lever or ruby-cylinder escapements that he perfected. Breguet took refuge in Switzerland from the excesses of the French Revolution. He returned to Paris overflowing with the ideas that produced the Breguet balance spring, his first carriage clock (sold to Napoleon Bonaparte), the "sympathique" clock and its dependent watch, the tact watch, and finally the tourbillon, patented in 1801.
Breguet became the indispensable watchmaker to the scientific, military, financial and diplomatic elites of the age. His timepieces ruled the courts of Europe. For his most celebrated clients, Breguet designed exceptional timepieces. For Caroline Murat, queen of Naples, conceived in 1810 the world's very first wristwatch. Honours saluted his enormous contribution to horology. Appointed to the Board of Longitude and as chronometer-maker to the navy, he entered the Academy of Sciences and received the Legion of Honour from the hands of Louis XVIII.
When he died in 1823, all mourned the architect of the greatest revolution in the science and art of timekeeping.
Breguet No. 2539 "Montre plate à répétition des demi-quarts". A very fine, rare and historically important 18K gold openface half-quarter repeating cylinder watch with secret portrait compartment, sold to Pauline Bonaparte, Princess Borghese
SIGNED BREGUET, NO. 2539, CASE NO. 1838, SOLD TO PRINCESS PAULINE BORGHESE ON 25 OCTOBER 1813 FOR THE SUM OF 2,400 FRANCS
Closed11 May 2015
Price Realised
CHF 221,000
More Information
Specialist note
With Breguet Certificate No. 4414 confirming that the present "montre plate à répétition des demi-quarts, boite or par Joly guilloché, avec compartiment pour portrait, cadran argent guilloché à petites secondes à IV heures, aiguilles Breguet en acier bleui, signatures secrètes de part et d'autre de XII, échappement à cylinder de rubis, pare-chute", half-quarter repeating watch with engine-turned gold case by Joly, with compartment for a portrait, engine-turned silver dial with subsidiary seconds at IV, blued steel Breguet hands, secret signature to both sides of XII, ruby cylinder escapement, pare-chute, was sold to Princess Pauline Borghese on 25 October 1813 for the sum of 2,400 Francs. Furthermore delivered with a gold ratchet key, a winding key often used by Breguet, incorporating a slanted ratchet clutch to prevent winding except in one direction; if turned the wrong way it can harmlessly revolve instead of straining the train and possibly damage the movement.
According to the Archives of Montres Breguet, no certificate was established for the watch at the time of its sale in 1813. Furthermore it has never been returned to the manufacture since, its location unknown until its consignment to this auction.
As the appellation rightfully implies, Abraham-Louis Breguet, king of watchmakers and watchmaker of kings, was the watchmaker of choice of the most eminent noble families at the time. Habitually carefully kept and cherished in the relevant collections from one generation to the other, the public appearance of a timepiece with noble provenance is an exceptionally rare event.
The present "montre plate à répétition des demi-quarts", sold to Princess Pauline Borghese on 25 October 1813, represents one of these exceptionally scarce opportunities to acquire one of the Breguet's "Royal" watches, embodying highest craftsmanship and understated sophistication, categories in which Abraham-Louis Breguet has always been foremost.
In impressively well-preserved original overall condition for its 202 years of age, still perfectly matching its characteristics as stated in the Certificate, the watch has been in the same family for four generations. According to family tradition, it belonged to an ancestor of the present owner, a high-ranking Officier in the "Garde Républicaine" (Republican Guard, established on 4 October 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, dissolved in 1813 and replaced by the Imperial Gendarmerie of Paris). The presence of the secret compartment once containing a portrait and the large, masculine design of the watch lead to the hypothesis that the watch may have been purposely ordered for this officer by Pauline, as a token of her affection. While regrettably not concealed in the watch any longer, one would assume that the portrait was a depiction of her.
Watch no. 2539 incorporates several of Abraham-Louis' numerous inventions, starting with the repeating mechanism which marked a turning point in the history of watchmaking. Introduced in 1783, Breguet's "ressort-timbre", a wire gong surrounding the movement which replaced the hitherto used bell, improved not only the quality of the sound but especially helped to reduce the thickness of a watch considerably. The repeating push-piece concealed in the pendant is another of Breguet's invention. Generally used after 1800, the system is both elegant and reliable. The ruby cylinder movement is fitted with a "suspension élastique", Breguet's ingenious elastic balance suspension also known as pare-chute, the ancestor of the shock-protection devices conceived to protect the pivots from blows. Other typical Breguet style elements found in this watch are the engine-turned silver dial combining two different styles, a technique he introduced around 1787. This new design enhanced not only the readability of the time but also the watches' overall aesthetics. The finely engine-turned case of large size was made in the workshops of the celebrated Jean-Louis Joly, featuring a slim bezel, another of Breguet's signature features, allowing the entire dial to be seen. Of outstandingly high quality, the case allows the hinged cover of the secret compartment to fit so well inbetween the outer cover and the cuvette that it remains perfectly invisible to the untrained eye. The secret portrait compartment was one of the master's few concessions to the caprices of his clientele; he however designed it in a manner as to maintain the overall purity of the watch's design.
Fresh to the market, of superb quality and noble provenance, the present watch is an epitome of Breguet's exceptional work and a highlight for the enthusiast of outstanding timepieces.
We are indebted to Mr. Emmanuel Breguet for his valuable assistance in researching the present watch.
According to the Archives of Montres Breguet, no certificate was established for the watch at the time of its sale in 1813. Furthermore it has never been returned to the manufacture since, its location unknown until its consignment to this auction.
As the appellation rightfully implies, Abraham-Louis Breguet, king of watchmakers and watchmaker of kings, was the watchmaker of choice of the most eminent noble families at the time. Habitually carefully kept and cherished in the relevant collections from one generation to the other, the public appearance of a timepiece with noble provenance is an exceptionally rare event.
The present "montre plate à répétition des demi-quarts", sold to Princess Pauline Borghese on 25 October 1813, represents one of these exceptionally scarce opportunities to acquire one of the Breguet's "Royal" watches, embodying highest craftsmanship and understated sophistication, categories in which Abraham-Louis Breguet has always been foremost.
In impressively well-preserved original overall condition for its 202 years of age, still perfectly matching its characteristics as stated in the Certificate, the watch has been in the same family for four generations. According to family tradition, it belonged to an ancestor of the present owner, a high-ranking Officier in the "Garde Républicaine" (Republican Guard, established on 4 October 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, dissolved in 1813 and replaced by the Imperial Gendarmerie of Paris). The presence of the secret compartment once containing a portrait and the large, masculine design of the watch lead to the hypothesis that the watch may have been purposely ordered for this officer by Pauline, as a token of her affection. While regrettably not concealed in the watch any longer, one would assume that the portrait was a depiction of her.
Watch no. 2539 incorporates several of Abraham-Louis' numerous inventions, starting with the repeating mechanism which marked a turning point in the history of watchmaking. Introduced in 1783, Breguet's "ressort-timbre", a wire gong surrounding the movement which replaced the hitherto used bell, improved not only the quality of the sound but especially helped to reduce the thickness of a watch considerably. The repeating push-piece concealed in the pendant is another of Breguet's invention. Generally used after 1800, the system is both elegant and reliable. The ruby cylinder movement is fitted with a "suspension élastique", Breguet's ingenious elastic balance suspension also known as pare-chute, the ancestor of the shock-protection devices conceived to protect the pivots from blows. Other typical Breguet style elements found in this watch are the engine-turned silver dial combining two different styles, a technique he introduced around 1787. This new design enhanced not only the readability of the time but also the watches' overall aesthetics. The finely engine-turned case of large size was made in the workshops of the celebrated Jean-Louis Joly, featuring a slim bezel, another of Breguet's signature features, allowing the entire dial to be seen. Of outstandingly high quality, the case allows the hinged cover of the secret compartment to fit so well inbetween the outer cover and the cuvette that it remains perfectly invisible to the untrained eye. The secret portrait compartment was one of the master's few concessions to the caprices of his clientele; he however designed it in a manner as to maintain the overall purity of the watch's design.
Fresh to the market, of superb quality and noble provenance, the present watch is an epitome of Breguet's exceptional work and a highlight for the enthusiast of outstanding timepieces.
We are indebted to Mr. Emmanuel Breguet for his valuable assistance in researching the present watch.