THE ART OF BREGUET

Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 14, 1991

LOT 130

A Monsieur L.H.Dulles Chronometer No. 3357, completed on 28 October 1946,sold on 25 November 1959 for the sum of 900'000 Old Francs. Two colour gold keyless watch with one minute tourbillon . Original red leather fitted case.

CHF 150,000 - 200,000

Sold: CHF 270,250

Case: 18 ct., three piece, Empire style,No.B.3357, in white gold with bezels and bow in pink gold, and reeded band.
Dial: Engine-turned silver, signed: "Breguet, No. 3357", with Roman numerals on a plain reserve, subsidiary seconds and sector for the up-anddown scale calibrated to "30" hours. Blued-steel Breguet hands.
Movement: Rhodiumed, 19"', half plate caliber, by Victorin Piguet, with fausses côtes decoration and signed: "Régulateur à tourbillon inventé par A.L.Breguet - Brevet du 7 Messidor An 9," 21 jewels, going barrel, polished steel equidistant three-arm tourbillon carriage revolving in one minute, with lateral lever escapement, Guillaume compensation balance. Blued-steel Breguet balance spring with micrometer wishbone index regulator .
In perfect condition Diam. 50 mm.

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Image

Notes

Literature: Reinhard Meis, Das Tourbillon, Munich, 1986, pp. 45,46,col. pl. 214, 215.
Note: The tourbillon carriage is based on the design produced at the Ecole d'Horlogerie in Le Sentier in 1930 (op.cit.p.45). Apparently either four or five such watches were completed by Fritz Robert Charrue to the order of Breguet, Paris. Fritz Robert-Charrue, born in 1908, was undoubtedly one of the finest watchmakers of his age. Apprenticed to James Pellaton, he later succeeded him as teacher and Director at the Technicum in Le Locle. He is remembered as the creator of the smallest pocket watch "tourbillon" ever made.