Manufacturer: Breguet Year: 1972 Case No: 4'885'446 Model Name: N°586 Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Manual, cal. Valjoux 88, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel pin buckle Dimensions: 36mm Diameter Signed: Case numbered, dial signed Accessories: Accompanied by Breguet Certificate confirming production of the present watch in 1972 and its subsequent sale on September 26, 1977 for 2'500 French Francs
Catalogue Essay
Breguet wristwatches from the mid-20th century are captivating, as they are as diverse as they are rare.
Diverse, as Breguet sometimes strayed away from the visual codes it is known for, notably coin edge cases, guilloché dials and the famed Breguet hands and delving into more adventurous grounds. Rare, because during this period Breguet was making only a handful of timepieces, the majority of them being the Type XX chronographs.
The present lot in stainless steel is a rarity in Breguet’s mid-20th century wristwatch collection since most known examples of Breguet chronographs with calendar and moonphases are cased in gold. The present Breguet triple calendar, moonphase chronograph shares certain features with other similar pieces from horological powerhouses such as Rolex and Patek Philippe whilst perfectly retaining its own strong personality and French flair.
This seductive and unusual Breguet shares a similar movement to Rolex’s Dato Compax model, also known as the “Jean-Claude Killy”. While the Rolex models featured a Valjoux 72C caliber, Breguet used the Valjoux caliber 88, which is a modified 72C caliber with additional moonphase complication. The dial layout and balance also draws comparison to one of last century’s most iconic horological designs: Patek Philippe’s 1518 and 2499 references.
The large case of this Breguet n° 586 with its strong lugs and convex bezel is fitted with a graphic dial where one can notice the monochromatic elegance is playfully offset by the blue date print and similar blue date indication hand.
The result is a practical, highly complicated wristwatch with an elegant and sophisticated appeal.
Preserved in superb condition, the present Breguet would be a jewel in the crown of the savvy collector.
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.