.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This astonishing and incredibly attractive Breguet single button chronograph is unquestionably one of the rarest and most significant of all vintage Breguet wristwatches. To the best of our knowledge it is the only example of its type publicly known. A undoubted highlight among the vintage wristwatches of the OAK Collection, it is also preserved in extraordinary original condition, a wristwatch collector’s dream in every sense.
As confirmed by the Breguet Certificate, the present watch was sold to the highly prestigious Paris jewellers, Maison Burma, in 1952.
The black dial is absolutely stunning and what is most apparent is the asymmetric arrangement of the subsidiary seconds and 30-minute registers positioned at 8 and 2 o’clock respectively. The co-axial single-button crown is also positioned at 2 o’clock. This arrangement is quite ingenious so that if one’s arm was holding a steering wheel or airplane joystick, the subsidiary dials and crown would in fact be in a horizontal straight line. It is quite likely that this watch was a civilian special order for a client of Maison Burma and significantly, it pre-dates Breguet’s military ‘Type XX’ chronographs by at least 2 years.
The Breguet Certificate (transated from the French) describes the watch as follows: “The no. 343, wristwatch chronograph, round case in stainless steel, rotating bezel, single pusher and crown mounted at 2 o’clock, black dial with luminous numerals, luminous hands, 30-minute totalizer at 2 o’clock and small seconds at 8 o’clock, calibre 14 lignes, anchor escapement”.
This remarkable vintage Breguet single button chronograph is hard to beat for rarity, wearability and condition and would be a world-class addition to any collection.
As confirmed by the Breguet Certificate, the present watch was sold to the highly prestigious Paris jewellers, Maison Burma, in 1952.
The black dial is absolutely stunning and what is most apparent is the asymmetric arrangement of the subsidiary seconds and 30-minute registers positioned at 8 and 2 o’clock respectively. The co-axial single-button crown is also positioned at 2 o’clock. This arrangement is quite ingenious so that if one’s arm was holding a steering wheel or airplane joystick, the subsidiary dials and crown would in fact be in a horizontal straight line. It is quite likely that this watch was a civilian special order for a client of Maison Burma and significantly, it pre-dates Breguet’s military ‘Type XX’ chronographs by at least 2 years.
The Breguet Certificate (transated from the French) describes the watch as follows: “The no. 343, wristwatch chronograph, round case in stainless steel, rotating bezel, single pusher and crown mounted at 2 o’clock, black dial with luminous numerals, luminous hands, 30-minute totalizer at 2 o’clock and small seconds at 8 o’clock, calibre 14 lignes, anchor escapement”.
This remarkable vintage Breguet single button chronograph is hard to beat for rarity, wearability and condition and would be a world-class addition to any collection.