At the Christie’s auction in Geneva last week, Marc A. Hayek, President & CEO of Montres Breguet SA, acquired two emblematic lots: the Breguet No. 4039, an extremely fine half quarter repeating watch with eccentric hour dial and the indication of the date, and the extremely rare Breguet Tourbillon No. 1176 which belonged to Count Potocki. These two exceptional pieces were auctioned for a total amount of 750,000 Swiss francs.
Sold on September 30, 1825 to the Duke of Berwick, the first watch, No. 4039 went for the price of 70’000 Swiss francs. It is an exceptional example of one of Breguet's extra slim repeating timepieces made "sur les principles des chronomètres" —on the principles of chronometers. Reflecting the constant search for innovation that characterizes Breguet, this remarkable 18K gold and silver pocket watch also features a caliber 21''', an additional complication of the date indication, an engine-turned silver dial and the famous Breguet hands.
The second acquisition is exceptional in its own right. It is Abraham-Louis Breguet’s very first four-minute tourbillon and his third tourbillon watch ever made. Well-known as the No. 1176, this pocket chronometer displays a fan-shaped power reserve sector calibrated for 35 hours, a small hour dial and additional small rings for the two subsidiary seconds. Unquestionably the quintessence of Abraham-Louis Breguet's mechanical ingenuity, it also features an 'échappement naturel' designed by the master in 1789.
Having belonged to Count Potocki, one of the most notable Polish figures of the Age of Enlightenment, this prestigious piece was acquired for more than 680,000 Swiss francs.
Montres Breguet is proud to announce the arrival of these masterworks to its important collection of celebrated horological pieces. Their acquisition demonstrates once again Breguet’s CEO Marc A. Hayek’s commitment to preserving the Manufacture’s historic and cultural legacy.
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