BREGUET NO. 4238, “RÉPÉTITION À PONTS MOYENNE” GOLD AND SILVER HALF-QUARTER REPEATING WATCH WITH CALENDAR AND SECRET PORTRAIT MINIATURE COMPARTMENT, CONSTRUCTED ON THE PRICIPALS OF THE GARDE TEMPS

SOLD TO MONSIEUR SPIES ON 16 MARCH 1826 FOR THE SUM OF 5,200 FRANCS

Details

CIRCA: 1826
CASE NO: 4068 by Tavernier
CASE MATERIAL: Gold and silver
CASE DIAMETER: 48 mm.
DIAL: Silvered
MOVEMENT: Manual, key-wound
FUNCTIONS: Time and quarter repeating
BOX: Yes
PAPERS: No
WITH: Numbered red Morocco box by Desoutter, London
Provenance

The collection of Sir David Lionel Salomons, No. 30.
Sold Christie's, London, The Collection of Sir David Salomons, Part II, 1st June 1965, lot 39.
Antiquorum Geneva, The Art of Breguet, 14 April 1991, lot 79.
Literature

Illustrated and described in: The Art of Breguet, George Daniels, p. 271, fig. 331 a-c.
Exhibited

Palais Galliéra, Paris, October 1923, Centenary Exhibition commemorating the death of Abraham- Louis Breguet, Catalogue no. 192.


Lot Essay

This beautiful and extremely fine Breguet watch was once part of the collection of the most famous collector of Breguet’s watches, Sir David Lionel Salomons. In 1826, it was sold to the first owner, a Monsieur Spies, for the then huge sum of 5,200 Francs. Built on the principals of Breguet’s finest timekeepers, or ‘Garde Temps’, it has the additional complications of half-quarter repeating and calendar, yet remains remarkably slim. A particularly rare feature is the presence of the secret compartment containing a portrait of a young lady. Of outstandingly high quality, the case allows the hinged cover of the secret compartment to fit so well in between the outer cover and the cuvette that it remains perfectly invisible to the untrained eye. The secret portrait compartment was one of Breguet’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.
According to Breguet’s repair ledgers, watch no. 4238 was brought to the workshops for servicing on 19 June 1835 for the original owner Monsieur Spies, who was attached to the Russian Embassy. The watch was again sent for servicing on 12 May 1844 , this time on behalf of a Monsieur Huard, 7 rue du Monthabord, Paris.
Abraham-Louis Breguet was appropriately called ‘king of watchmakers and watchmaker of kings’ and was indeed the watchmaker of choice of the most eminent noble families at the time. The present watch is an epitome of Breguet's exceptional work and a world-class highlight for the enthusiast of outstanding timepieces.