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Lot Essay
This immediately eye-catching half-hunter style Breguet wristwatch, no. 3135, is quite possibly unique among Breguet’s wristwatches of the pre-war period, and is the sublime epitome of the classical wristwatch design introduced at Breguet by Georges Brown in the 1930s. Sold in 1937 to Charles Cahen d’Anvers, from one of the wealthiest and most prominent families in Paris and grandson of the founder of Paribas Bank, the first private bank in France. It was previously unknown publicly, remaining in the original family until 2015 when it was acquired by the present owner. In common with all the exemplary watches of the OAK Collection, this awesome vintage Breguet was chosen for its scarcity, original owner provenance and its wonderful state of preservation. It is without doubt, a highly unusual, luxurious and glamorous wristwatch, and this combination of technical and aesthetic elements has so far never been seen in any other Breguet watch from the period. It is therefore assumed to be a unique piece made to the special order of Monsieur Cahen d’Anvers. In fact, to date, no other example of a watch of this model is known to exist. Until relatively modern times, most Breguet wristwatches were made either to the special request of a particular client or in very small series.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this watch is the high precision movement, an incredible rarity in any wristwatch of the period and exceptional to find in a Breguet wristwatch. According to the Breguet Archives, the present wristwatch is described as: “14''' movement with réglage bulletin, Guillaume balance, silver "old Breguet style" dial, covering bezel with blue enamel Roman numerals and blued steel hands”. It is part of an exceedingly small number of watches fitted with Observatory standard movements made by Breguet and furthermore it is believed to be the only example featuring a half-hunter-style case with enlarged bezel. The movement is of highest quality, built to Observatory chronometer standards, including a large size Guillaume balance, to ensure utmost precision through its resistance to temperature variation.
This high precision timepiece displays the elegance that is the unmistakable main characteristic of Breguet watches, luxury through simplicity of design and the very best worksmanship for the gold case with fluted band and classic engine-turned silver dial. Combining timeless aesthetics and the highest technical craftsmanship, the present watch with its combination of rarity and provenance must be considered among the most important collector's wristwatches of Breguet's 20th century production.
PROVENANCE:
Sold on 21 December 1937 to Charles Cahen d'Anvers
Thence by descent until sold:
Christie’s Geneva, 11 May, 2015, lot 246.
2015 - The OAK Collection.
Charles Cahen d'Anvers (1879-1957)
Was a banker as was his father Louis Cahen d'Anvers and his grandfather Joseph-Mayer Cahen, dit d'Anvers, founder of Paribas bank, the first private bank in France. He is best remembered for having bequeathed Château Champs-sur-Marne to the French State in 1935.
Bought in 1895 by Louis Cahen d'Anvers, Château Champs-sur-Marne was the family's summer residence in which they also received their friends, including celebrities such as the writer Marcel Proust and the dancer Isadora Duncan. Charles's sister, Irène Cahen d'Anvers, became famous for posing for Renoir's "La jeune fille au ruban bleu" in 1880.
Charles Cahen d'Anvers was elected mayor of Champs-sur-Marne in 1925 while pursuing his banking activity. At his parents' death in 1935, he inherited the castle and donated it to the French state, expressing the wish that it would become a presidential residence. It was modernised in 1959 and used by General de Gaulle as a residence for state leaders during their official visits to France. In 1974 it was opened to the public and ceased its official capacity. Since then, Château Champs-sur-Marne served also as stage for a number of movies (including ‘Dangerous Liaisons’, ‘The Pink Panther’ and ‘Marie Antoinette’), television and advertising productions, partly due to its resemblance to Paris' Elysée Palace.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this watch is the high precision movement, an incredible rarity in any wristwatch of the period and exceptional to find in a Breguet wristwatch. According to the Breguet Archives, the present wristwatch is described as: “14''' movement with réglage bulletin, Guillaume balance, silver "old Breguet style" dial, covering bezel with blue enamel Roman numerals and blued steel hands”. It is part of an exceedingly small number of watches fitted with Observatory standard movements made by Breguet and furthermore it is believed to be the only example featuring a half-hunter-style case with enlarged bezel. The movement is of highest quality, built to Observatory chronometer standards, including a large size Guillaume balance, to ensure utmost precision through its resistance to temperature variation.
This high precision timepiece displays the elegance that is the unmistakable main characteristic of Breguet watches, luxury through simplicity of design and the very best worksmanship for the gold case with fluted band and classic engine-turned silver dial. Combining timeless aesthetics and the highest technical craftsmanship, the present watch with its combination of rarity and provenance must be considered among the most important collector's wristwatches of Breguet's 20th century production.
PROVENANCE:
Sold on 21 December 1937 to Charles Cahen d'Anvers
Thence by descent until sold:
Christie’s Geneva, 11 May, 2015, lot 246.
2015 - The OAK Collection.
Charles Cahen d'Anvers (1879-1957)
Was a banker as was his father Louis Cahen d'Anvers and his grandfather Joseph-Mayer Cahen, dit d'Anvers, founder of Paribas bank, the first private bank in France. He is best remembered for having bequeathed Château Champs-sur-Marne to the French State in 1935.
Bought in 1895 by Louis Cahen d'Anvers, Château Champs-sur-Marne was the family's summer residence in which they also received their friends, including celebrities such as the writer Marcel Proust and the dancer Isadora Duncan. Charles's sister, Irène Cahen d'Anvers, became famous for posing for Renoir's "La jeune fille au ruban bleu" in 1880.
Charles Cahen d'Anvers was elected mayor of Champs-sur-Marne in 1925 while pursuing his banking activity. At his parents' death in 1935, he inherited the castle and donated it to the French state, expressing the wish that it would become a presidential residence. It was modernised in 1959 and used by General de Gaulle as a residence for state leaders during their official visits to France. In 1974 it was opened to the public and ceased its official capacity. Since then, Château Champs-sur-Marne served also as stage for a number of movies (including ‘Dangerous Liaisons’, ‘The Pink Panther’ and ‘Marie Antoinette’), television and advertising productions, partly due to its resemblance to Paris' Elysée Palace.