Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, Nov 08, 2025

LOT 159

BREGUET, FRANCE, AU BARON DELMARE "RÉPÉTITION D'OR MOYENNE À PONTS À 2 MARTEAUX", QUARTER-REPEATING POCKET WATCH WITH RUBY CYLINDER ESCAPEMENT., GOLD AND SILVER

CHF 15,000 - 25,000

HKD 146,000 - 244,000 / USD 18,800 - 31,300 / EUR 16,200 - 26,900 / JPY 2,850,000 - 4,750,000

TO BE SOLD WITHOUT RESERVE

A very fine and rare, 18k gold and silver, manual wind open face key-winding pocket watch, quarter-repeating pocket watch with ruby cylinder escapement. White enamel with radial Roman numerals, outer minute divisions, eccentric subsidiary seconds at 5 o'clock. Blued steel Breguet hands.


LOADING IMAGES
Click to full view Click to full view Click to full view
Image Image Image
Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 3-8

Good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 3-6*

Good

Slightly oxidized

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-71-01

Good

ENAMEL AND VARIOUS TYPES OF DECORATION Hairlines

HANDS Original

Brand Breguet, France

Year sold to Monsieur Barnewall on November 18, 1826 for 1,600 francs, bought back on September 20, 1834 for 1,000 francs and re-sold to Baron Delmare on April 27, 1835, for 1,800 francs.

Movement No. 127

Case No. 4292B and 127

Diameter 48 mm.

Caliber 42 mm., 5 jewels, gilt brass, overhanging ruby cylinder escapement, plain three-arm balance with parachute on the top pivot, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator with bimetallic temperature compensation curb, jeweled escapement, repeating on two gongs with two hammers activated by pull-and-twist piston at 2 o'clock on the band.

Weight 78 gr.

Signature Dial, case and movement, case by Tavernier

Notes

This watch is recorded in the archives as having a silver dial ("cadran argent Tavernier"), the present white enamel dial would have been fitted in the Breguet workshop probably between the time the watch was bought back from Barnewall and was resold to Baron Delmare. It has not been possible to trace a "Baron Delmare", however in the archives the spelling in of the names of Breguet's clients, particularly the English names, is rather hit-and-miss, and "Baron Delmare" is quite likely to be Thomas Cholmondeley, 1st Baron Delamere 1767?1855. Provenance: Bloomfield Collection, San Diego.
Baron Delamere was the son of Thomas Cholmondeley (pronounced "Chumley"), Member of Parliament for Cheshire, and Dorothy Cowper. He was elected to the House of Commons for his father's old seat of Cheshire in 1796, which he retained until 1812, also serving as High Sheriff of Cheshire. In 1821 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Delamere, of Vale Royal in the County of Chester. Lord Delamere died in October 1855, aged 88, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son Hugh Cholmondeley