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Lot Essay
With Audemars Piguet original fitted burgundy leather presentation box, "Grande Complication" instruction booklet stating "N.B. It is interesting to point out that over 500 hours of work are required for assembling and finishing the 416 "Great Complication" parts". Furthermore delivered with the original fitted presentation box.
According to the Archives of Audemars Piguet, this watch was sold to Erbe Chronometrie in Basel in 1969.
The present watch was ordered by the wife of the former owner, an avid watch aficionado, as a surprise for his 70th birthday in 1968. At the time, such super complicated pocket watches were exclusively made to special order and only one highly skilled master watchmaker at Audemars Piguet was in charge of the assembly and finishing of the movement.
According to the present owner, the completion of this watch took over a year as the watchmaker in charge had to interrupt his work for a certain period of time due to illness.
Since its purchase in 1969, the watch has remained in the same family, hardly used and locked away in a vault, until its consignment to this auction in 2008. The combination of the excellent overall condition, absolute freshness to the market and private provenance render this watch an exquisite treasure for the discerning collector.
According to the Archives of Audemars Piguet, this watch was sold to Erbe Chronometrie in Basel in 1969.
The present watch was ordered by the wife of the former owner, an avid watch aficionado, as a surprise for his 70th birthday in 1968. At the time, such super complicated pocket watches were exclusively made to special order and only one highly skilled master watchmaker at Audemars Piguet was in charge of the assembly and finishing of the movement.
According to the present owner, the completion of this watch took over a year as the watchmaker in charge had to interrupt his work for a certain period of time due to illness.
Since its purchase in 1969, the watch has remained in the same family, hardly used and locked away in a vault, until its consignment to this auction in 2008. The combination of the excellent overall condition, absolute freshness to the market and private provenance render this watch an exquisite treasure for the discerning collector.