Manufacturer: Breguet Year: 1957 Reference No: 3229 Movement No: 3229 Case No: 3229 Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Manual, Peseux 260 Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: Gold plated pin buckle Dimensions: 34mm. Diameter Signed: Dial signed; caseback and movement stamped with No. 3229. Accessories: Accompanied by Breguet Certificate confirming the sale of the present wristwatch to Monsieur Combescot on 6 August 1962 for the amount of 1,600 French Francs.
Catalogue Essay
It was very rare for Breguet to produce fine yellow gold watches during the post-war years. Instead, the renowned watchmaker then focused on the production of “Type XX” chronographs, a military-spec pilot’s watch conceived for French forces and later offered to civilians.
Watches that did not fall into this category were made in very limited numbers each year and are consequently extremely rare, yet, the very few that are known to all demonstrate Breguet’s mastery of that field. And indeed, given the manufacturer’s wonderful history, it is no surprise to find refinement in all of the watches that it has made.
Made in 1957 and sold five years later to a French gentleman for the sum of 1,600 new French Francs, the present watch no doubt provided immense joy to its owner. But in 1970, it came back to Breguet with a request to replace the silver guilloché originally fitted to the watch, with a gold guilloché version.
The new dial is finely engine-turned and features black Roman numerals on a polished chapter ring – a typical dial design for Breguet. New gold 'Pomme' hands were also made following the client’s request to complete its transformation.
Phillips would like to sincerely thank Emmanuel Breguet and the Montres Breguet archives team for its invaluable help when researching the present timepiece.
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.