Breguet - The Geneva Watch Auction: NINE Geneva Saturday, May 11, 2019 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Breguet
    Year: 1804
    Case No: 2189
    Model Name: N°1351 Turkish Quarter Repeater
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual
    Dimensions: 52mm Diameter
    Signed: Case and dial signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by a Breguet fitted presentation box bearing number 1351 and Certificate indicating the watch was sold to Mr. Esseyed Ali Effendi in 18 Frictidor An 12 (5 September 1804)
    Literature: Similar pocket watches made for the Ottoman market are illustrated in Abraham-Louis Breguet by Emmanuel Breguet, Nicole Minder and Rodolphe De Pierri pp. 130-134

  • Catalogue Essay

    Abraham-Louis Breguet founded his eponymous company in 1775 in France. Soon after he had to flee the country after the revolution erupted which also led to the demand of his watches by its main European markets to decline. His friendship with the Ottoman ambassador to Paris, Esseyd Ali Effendi and the growing interest towards European watches allowed him to present the country’s elite with his creations. After Effendi returned to Turkey in 1802 he commissioned A.-L. Breguet with a great number of watches. Subsequently the two men worked together to adapt the watches to the Turkish market’s requirements. They should feature white enamel dials, sumptuously decorated cases in vivid colors such as red and more practically a double case to protect the watch, as the Ottomans used to wear their watches outside their clothes. On the dial side, a major style adjustment was conceded by A.-L. Breguet, the watches designed for the Turkish market was now featuring Breguet designed Eastern Arabic numerals instead of the more conventional Roman or Arabic numerals.
    The present Turkish Quarter repeater pocket watch is part of the very early watches commissioned by Esseyd Ali Effendi to his trusted friend Abraham-Louis Breguet. Thanks to Emmanuel Breguet, Head of Patrimony & Marketing, we were able to discover that the Breguet 1351 was sold on 18 Fructidor an 12 of the French Revolution calendar which means September 5, 1804 to Mr Esseyd Ali Effendi for the sum of 1992 Francs. Over the course of its life, the watch returned to Breguet workshops in Paris four times: in 1861, 1876, 1877 and finally in 1959 where a certificate was issue to the London based owner at the time.
    This amazing piece of horological history is presented at auction in excellent condition. The enamel color on the cases is vibrant and flamboyant, the white enamel dial with the Eastern Arabic numerals is pristine and the Breguet secret signature will be revealed to the fastidious collector. The watch is complete with both cases, the winding key and the Breguet fitted presentation box adorned with the watch number.

  • Artist Biography

    Breguet

    Swiss • 1775

    Established in 1775 by Abraham Louis Breguet, widely considered the greatest watchmaker of all time, the storied brand continues to thrive in the modern era, creating exceptional high-end watches as the Swatch Group's premier prestige brand. Some of the most important and lasting inventions in watchmaking are attributed to Abraham Louis Breguet, including the tourbillon, shock resistance and the use of hammers and gongs employed in nearly all minute repeating watches made since.

    Eighteenth and nineteenth century Breguet pocketwatches are especially sought-after by collectors, and many of them were made for the elite of European society, including Napoléon and Marie Antoinette. Key wristwatches from the twentieth century include oversized dress watches, two-register chronographs, triple calendars and Type XX aviator's chronographs made for the French military and civilians.

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An historically important and rare enamel double case yellow gold quarter repeater pocket watch made for the Ottoman market

1804
A/P
52mm Diameter
Case and dial signed

Estimate
CHF40,000 - 80,000 
€35,600-71,300
$40,300-80,600

Sold for CHF150,000

Contact Specialist
Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Sale
+ 41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: NINE

Geneva Auction 11-12 May 2019