.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Breguet’s diver’s wristwatches are a very rare sight indeed. The present watch is one of only 60 examples of reference 1646 that were produced in 1965. Today, only a handful of these incredibly attractive vintage diver’s watches are known publicly and it is with great pleasure that Christie’s can offer this superb and extraordinary specimen as part of the ‘Oak Collection’. In common with all the watches in this remarkable collection, it is not only a near-impossible to find rarity, but also in the best possible condition.
Breguet’s vintage diver’s watches or ‘montre plongeur’ are largely unknown to collectors even today, having never appeared in any official literature and only researched by dedicated collectors in recent years. The present model is visually stunning with its unusually elegant yet minimalist design, the slender black bakelite bezel featuring very subtle five minute divisions, the dial bearing only the signature ‘Breguet’ and featuring oversized luminous hour markers and luminous hands. The comparatively thin screw back case is probably water-resistant to at least 100 metres, which was the usual standard at the time of its production. It is fitted with a robust automatic movement calibre 1581 by A. Schild, one of the first ébauche makers founded in Grenchen, Switzerland, in 1896. The firm specialized in the production of high quality ébauches with all parts being interchangeable for which it won a gold medal at the Swiss National Exhibition in Berne in 1914. A. Schild supplied ébauches to several renowned watch manufacturers in Switzerland.
It is thought that Breguet, in common with most of their wristwatches made in the mid-20th century, made these diver’s watches as a commission for a particular commercial or private purpose. The price in 1965 for a reference 1646 is recorded in Breguet’s archives as being 595 French Francs – indeed quite an expensive watch at the time.
This most sensational of Breguet’s 1960s wristwatches is an ultimate vintage rarity, a wearable and immediately eye-catching sports watch, the like of which is unlikely to be seen at auction again for many years to come.
Breguet’s vintage diver’s watches or ‘montre plongeur’ are largely unknown to collectors even today, having never appeared in any official literature and only researched by dedicated collectors in recent years. The present model is visually stunning with its unusually elegant yet minimalist design, the slender black bakelite bezel featuring very subtle five minute divisions, the dial bearing only the signature ‘Breguet’ and featuring oversized luminous hour markers and luminous hands. The comparatively thin screw back case is probably water-resistant to at least 100 metres, which was the usual standard at the time of its production. It is fitted with a robust automatic movement calibre 1581 by A. Schild, one of the first ébauche makers founded in Grenchen, Switzerland, in 1896. The firm specialized in the production of high quality ébauches with all parts being interchangeable for which it won a gold medal at the Swiss National Exhibition in Berne in 1914. A. Schild supplied ébauches to several renowned watch manufacturers in Switzerland.
It is thought that Breguet, in common with most of their wristwatches made in the mid-20th century, made these diver’s watches as a commission for a particular commercial or private purpose. The price in 1965 for a reference 1646 is recorded in Breguet’s archives as being 595 French Francs – indeed quite an expensive watch at the time.
This most sensational of Breguet’s 1960s wristwatches is an ultimate vintage rarity, a wearable and immediately eye-catching sports watch, the like of which is unlikely to be seen at auction again for many years to come.