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Lot 127
Breguet, Paris, No. 1177 “montre répétition à ponts”. A very rare 20K gold à toc quarter repeating watch with jumping hour hand and ruby cylinder escapement
Signed Breguet, No. 1177, sold on 29 Thermidor, year unrecorded, to Monsieur…. for the sum of 1,600 francs, in the possession of a Monsieur Haute Roche by 1824
Closed16 May 2016
Price Realised
CHF 47,500
More Information
Specialist note
With Breguet Certificate No. 4066 dated 8 June 1995.
According to the Archives of Montres Breguet, the early history of Breguet No. 1177 is rather enigmatic. In the archives the date sold is only given as 29 Thermidor (17th August), but no year of sale is stated. The name of the original purchaser is also omitted, the record simply stating a “Monsieur…..” and a sale price of 1,600 Francs. However, it is further recorded that the watch was owned in 1824 by a Monsieur Haute Roche and it is quite possible he was the original purchaser. As the date and month of sale is written in the Republican calendar which was only in use between 1793 and 1805 it must therefore date from within that period. When compared stylistically to other Breguet watches of the same period and bearing in mind the use of the new caliber with jump-hour mechanism, a date of between 1800 and 1805 is most likely.
The jump hour hand is a feature of some of Breguet's repeating watches. The hand in fact stands stationary until about three minutes to the hour when it begins to move. By the time it is half way to the next hour the minute hand will be at the hour and the hour hand will jump the remaining distance to the hour. Mechanically this works because the usual motion work for the hands is dispensed with, the hour hand being mounted on a wheel geared directly to another wheel on the hour snail star wheel. Because the hour hand is driven from it the hand jumps with the star wheel to each successive hour.
According to the Archives of Montres Breguet, the early history of Breguet No. 1177 is rather enigmatic. In the archives the date sold is only given as 29 Thermidor (17th August), but no year of sale is stated. The name of the original purchaser is also omitted, the record simply stating a “Monsieur…..” and a sale price of 1,600 Francs. However, it is further recorded that the watch was owned in 1824 by a Monsieur Haute Roche and it is quite possible he was the original purchaser. As the date and month of sale is written in the Republican calendar which was only in use between 1793 and 1805 it must therefore date from within that period. When compared stylistically to other Breguet watches of the same period and bearing in mind the use of the new caliber with jump-hour mechanism, a date of between 1800 and 1805 is most likely.
The jump hour hand is a feature of some of Breguet's repeating watches. The hand in fact stands stationary until about three minutes to the hour when it begins to move. By the time it is half way to the next hour the minute hand will be at the hour and the hour hand will jump the remaining distance to the hour. Mechanically this works because the usual motion work for the hands is dispensed with, the hour hand being mounted on a wheel geared directly to another wheel on the hour snail star wheel. Because the hour hand is driven from it the hand jumps with the star wheel to each successive hour.