Christie’s, 10 November 2014 – Abraham-Louis Breguet

Christie’s sale of 10 November 2014 included three pocket watches by Abraham-Louis Breguet, widely regarded as the greatest watchmaker of all. Others rank beside him – Thomas Mudge, John Arnold, Thomas Earnshaw, John Harrison, Antide Janvier and, among modern names, George Daniels, Philippe Dufour, Haldimann, F.P. Journe and Kari Voutilainen. My own interest in watches began with a pocket watch inherited from my great-grandfather, and a finely made pocket watch still has a special effect.

Montre souscription, N°1576 – lot 391

A “montre souscription à taille moyenne” with a gold cuvette and the rarer mid-size case of 54 mm. Estimate €10,000 – 15,000.

Montre à tact, N°608 – lot 392

Breguet invented the montre à tact in the late 1790s, when it was considered improper to read the time in public. This small example, 42 mm in diameter, has an engine-turned case with blue enamel, set with diamonds. It was sold to Monsieur Bastrecher for 3,000 francs in March or April 1800. Estimate €34,000 – 50,000.

N°1135 – lot 393

A watch with a distinguished history and an excellent technical specification. It was sold on 18 January 1806 to the duc de l’Infantado for 4,200 francs, a very large sum at the time for a watch without jewels or complications in the usual sense. It has a quarter repeater, a gold dial and the “échappement libre à levées naturelles”, of which fewer than 30 are known. Estimate €150,000 – 230,000.

Photographs: Christie’s.