The Breguet Museum and its President and CEO, Marc A. Hayek, recently acquired an exceptional antique watch of great historical value at auction. The recently discovered Breguet N°3104, is testament to the genius of A.-L. Breguet, to whom we owe the invention of the gong-spring for repeater watches in 1783.
The Breguet N°3104 pocket watch, bought from Antiquorum in November, recently resurfaced after over 140 years in the possession of an illustrious European family. Initially sold in 1818 to His Royal Highness the Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain, Count of Moratalla, this piece is one of the rare and highly prestigious minute repeaters made by A.-L. Breguet, whose chiming watches generally sounded the quarter or half-quarter hours.
The Bourbon family of Spain were among the clients of the House of Breguet from the earliest years of the 19th century King Charles IV and Queen Marie-Christine purchased many Breguet timepieces, as did their children after them. The future Ferdinand VII and his brother the Infante Francisco de Paula owned some prestigious Breguet pieces. Other members of the family purchased Breguet watches and clocks during their period of exile in France between 1808 and 1814. The Infante Francisco de Paula, owner of the Breguet N°3104, left a long line of descendants: he is in fact the direct ancestor of the current King of Spain, Felipe VI.
Besides the minute repeater function, this 62.5mm wide pocket watch in 18kt gold features a jumping hours hand. Its case is adorned with 'barley grain' guillochage by Pierre-Benjamin Tavernier. The guilloché silver dial, also by Tavernier, has a distinctive two-part composition, with the small seconds ring at 8 o'clock integrated into the dial and fixed with two tiny blued-steel screws.
The markers indicating the fractions of 10 minutes surrounding the hour circle are another unusual characteristic. Adorned with the Breguet secret signature on both sides of the number 12, the dial is enhanced by 'open-tipped' hands in blued steel, commonly known as Breguet hands, invented by the watchmaker in the same year that he introduced the gong-spring.
As for the movement, this exceptional piece houses a 22'' calibre with visible inverted cylinder escapement. The repeater spring operates on two gongs struck by two hammers activated by a piston situated in the pendant of the watch.
The House is delighted to include this new object in its large collection of antique watches and manuscripts. It invites all enthusiasts of history, culture and prestige watchmaking to discover its fabulous heritage, now on display at its museums in Paris, Zurich and Shanghai.
Thanks.