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Lot Essay
This extraordinarily beautiful and highly complex wonder of engineering is part of a recent generation of Breguet’s legendary ‘Sympathique’ clocks with ingenious inbuilt system to wind a watch. The ‘Sympathique’ clock was built on the principles developed by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1793. Its patented mechanism allowed a pocket watch to be automatically set and wound when placed into the recess at the top of the table clock. 150 years later, the House of Breguet revived this remarkable creation with a third generation of the 'Sympathique'. Around 15 of these magnificent pieces were produced, with the clock’s principal innovation now being the ability to wind and reset a wristwatch for which a power reserve of 24 hours is assured from a rewinding period of 8 hours. An additional pocket watch case is provided so that the wristwatch can be used as a pocket watch if the owner so desires.
Rarely available for sale on the open market, this sumptuous Breguet ‘Sympathique’, number 15 of the series, is both a functional and fascinating work of art for the home as well as providing a highly sophisticated wearable timepiece for the wrist or pocket. After many years in one of the world’s great collections, today’s collectors are now afforded the opportunity to obtain one of these splendid creations from the House of Breguet.
The History of the Sympathique
It was during Abraham-Louis Breguet’s exile in Switzerland during the French revolution that he developed the ingenious idea of the ‘Sympathique’. The clocks were a way for Breguet to demonstrate his exception skill as a watchmaker and to thus enhance his already undisputed reputation as the foremost horologist of his time. In a letter to his son dated June 26th, 1795 he wrote:
"I have great pleasure my friend, in telling you that I have made a very important invention, but about which you must be very discreet, even about the idea. I have invented a means of setting a watch to time, and regulating it, without anyone having to do it...Then every night on going to bed, you can put the watch into the clock. It is not even necessary to open the watch. I expect from this, the greatest promotion of our fame and fortune."
In fact, three main types of Sympathiques were made comprising a special mechanism which both re-winds and sets its accompanying watch. The original Sympathiques were sold to the great figures of the day including Royalty. Today Sympathique clocks are to be found in the British Royal Collection, The British Museum and the Spanish Royal Palace in Madrid.
Rarely available for sale on the open market, this sumptuous Breguet ‘Sympathique’, number 15 of the series, is both a functional and fascinating work of art for the home as well as providing a highly sophisticated wearable timepiece for the wrist or pocket. After many years in one of the world’s great collections, today’s collectors are now afforded the opportunity to obtain one of these splendid creations from the House of Breguet.
The History of the Sympathique
It was during Abraham-Louis Breguet’s exile in Switzerland during the French revolution that he developed the ingenious idea of the ‘Sympathique’. The clocks were a way for Breguet to demonstrate his exception skill as a watchmaker and to thus enhance his already undisputed reputation as the foremost horologist of his time. In a letter to his son dated June 26th, 1795 he wrote:
"I have great pleasure my friend, in telling you that I have made a very important invention, but about which you must be very discreet, even about the idea. I have invented a means of setting a watch to time, and regulating it, without anyone having to do it...Then every night on going to bed, you can put the watch into the clock. It is not even necessary to open the watch. I expect from this, the greatest promotion of our fame and fortune."
In fact, three main types of Sympathiques were made comprising a special mechanism which both re-winds and sets its accompanying watch. The original Sympathiques were sold to the great figures of the day including Royalty. Today Sympathique clocks are to be found in the British Royal Collection, The British Museum and the Spanish Royal Palace in Madrid.