Provenance: The property of an important American family since the 1920 's. Formerly in the Dollfus collection. Literature: Illustrated and descr ibed by George Daniels in The Art of Breguet, p. 264, fig. 312 a-b. History: According to the manufacturing, sales and repair books, this watch was bought back from Mr. Whaley on 25 February 1825, for 2240 Francs. Resold to the Comte Chevalier de I'Espine on 31 December 1831 for 3100 Francs, it was returned for overhaul at his request on 20 September 1834, 25 March 1843 and 9 October 1855. Note: Split-seconds stop watches such as this lot often designed by Breguet as: chronomttres i. double secondes, dit d 'observation are much rarer than simple or inking chronographs, and would indeed appear to be another invention by Breguet. Like the latter, invented by Fatton, they were designed to record intervals of time. When construction of this watch was begun in 1822, Breguet was, as far as it is known, the only watchmaker to have produced such a complication, and therefore, although not fitted with a fly-back facility, they are the precursor of modern split-seconds chronograph. This particular watch has the additional feature of a balance arresting device, designed in such a way, with the "hook " mounted on a feather spring, that the vertical pin on the balance rim, is always locked with the escapement armed by the tension of the balance spring. It can therefore be used to record two intervals of time relating to the same event, when released from the "stopped" position. Amongst watches produced by Breguet for scientific purposes, this must certainly count as one of the most elegant. The movement, constructed on the principle of the garde-temps, with extensive jewelling, is remarkably flat, the dial is large, in order to he easily read, but also of most elegant proportions; finally the case combines both silver and gold in its construction.