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Lot Essay
It is a tremendous pleasure to present Motor racing legend and Formula One Champion Jack Brabham’s personal first-generation Breguet Type XX stainless steel Chronograph, the caseback engraved "Esso J.B. Champion Du Monde 1959". The perfect combination of provenance, rarity and enduring style, this awesome piece of motorsport memorabilia owned by one of the great figures from the pioneering days of Formula One is also an incredibly rare and iconic watch in its own right and moreover, in wonderful original condition.
One of the first-generation of Breguet’s Type XX chronographs, the present watch was the property of Sir John ‘Jack’ Brabham for a decade. It is thought that this watch was presented to him in 1960 by Esso to celebrate his first Formula One win in 1959 or during the 1960 Formula One season itself where Brabham was once again Drivers’ Champion. Jack Brabham had commercial deals with Esso advertising in the 1960s and indeed the company were official sponsors for Brabham from 1964 until 1970. The gift of this Breguet chronograph celebrated and commemorated Brabham’s ‘World Championship of Drivers’ status with the engraving on the caseback “Esso J.B. Champion Du Monde 1959”. Research shows that the present watch was sold to Esso on 5th May, 1960 for the sum of 550 French Francs.
It is thought that this watch left Jack Brabham’s possession when he used it as part settlement of a service bill for other clocks and watches given to his watchmaker for repair. The watchmaker had become acquainted with Brabham after buying a car from his dealership.
Breguet Type XX Chronograph
The first generation, made from 1954 to 1970, is a steel chronograph with a black dial and steel rotating bezel. It was noted for the legibility of the indicators which, for military use, presented a 30-minute counter for the Air Force or a 15-minute counter for the Naval Air Force. Civilian versions such as the present watch were available with a 12-hour totalizer. The Type XX remains the most famous and most widely produced Breguet wristwatch of the post-war era.
In the 1950s and 1960s several manufacturers supplied chronograph wristwatches to the French armed forces, originally designated Type XX. One of the requirements of the French Defence Ministry was the ‘retour en vol’ or ‘flyback’ function, allowing to instantly stop, reset and restart the chronograph function with a single press of the lower button. Breguet's Type XX is the most renowned and most desirable of these French military chronographs. It was produced in small quantities until it obtained the official approval of the French services in 1950.
Sir John Arthur Brabham, AO, OBE. (1926– 2014)
An Australian racing driver who was Formula One World Champion in 1959, 1960, and 1966. He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name.
In 1962 he established his own Brabham marque with fellow Australian Ron Tauranac, which in the 1960s became the largest manufacturer of customer racing cars in the world. In the 1966 Formula One season Brabham became the first, and still, the only man to win the Formula One world championship driving one of his own cars. He was the last surviving World Champion of the 1950s.
Brabham retired to Australia after the 1970 Formula One season, where he bought a farm and maintained business interests, which included the Engine Developments racing engine manufacturer and several garages. The Brabham team continued in Formula One, winning two further Drivers' Championships in the early 1980s under Bernie Ecclestone’s ownership.
HISTORY OF THE BRAND
The House of Breguet, founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, holds a unique position in the world of watchmaking. Acknowledged as one of the most prolific inventors of his time, having developed the tourbillon, gong spring, pare-chute shock protector, and Breguet balance spring, Abraham-Louis Breguet received recognition for his creativity across a number of Europe’s royal courts. In 1815, King Louis XVIII of France would go on to appoint him Chronometer-maker to the Royal Navy. The House of Breguet showed an early interest in watches designed for aviation, highlighting how watchmaking should contribute to progress in air navigation just as it had done so for marine navigation. The most important chapter in the history of the Breguet pilot watch began in the early 1950s with the Type XX model.
One of the first-generation of Breguet’s Type XX chronographs, the present watch was the property of Sir John ‘Jack’ Brabham for a decade. It is thought that this watch was presented to him in 1960 by Esso to celebrate his first Formula One win in 1959 or during the 1960 Formula One season itself where Brabham was once again Drivers’ Champion. Jack Brabham had commercial deals with Esso advertising in the 1960s and indeed the company were official sponsors for Brabham from 1964 until 1970. The gift of this Breguet chronograph celebrated and commemorated Brabham’s ‘World Championship of Drivers’ status with the engraving on the caseback “Esso J.B. Champion Du Monde 1959”. Research shows that the present watch was sold to Esso on 5th May, 1960 for the sum of 550 French Francs.
It is thought that this watch left Jack Brabham’s possession when he used it as part settlement of a service bill for other clocks and watches given to his watchmaker for repair. The watchmaker had become acquainted with Brabham after buying a car from his dealership.
Breguet Type XX Chronograph
The first generation, made from 1954 to 1970, is a steel chronograph with a black dial and steel rotating bezel. It was noted for the legibility of the indicators which, for military use, presented a 30-minute counter for the Air Force or a 15-minute counter for the Naval Air Force. Civilian versions such as the present watch were available with a 12-hour totalizer. The Type XX remains the most famous and most widely produced Breguet wristwatch of the post-war era.
In the 1950s and 1960s several manufacturers supplied chronograph wristwatches to the French armed forces, originally designated Type XX. One of the requirements of the French Defence Ministry was the ‘retour en vol’ or ‘flyback’ function, allowing to instantly stop, reset and restart the chronograph function with a single press of the lower button. Breguet's Type XX is the most renowned and most desirable of these French military chronographs. It was produced in small quantities until it obtained the official approval of the French services in 1950.
Sir John Arthur Brabham, AO, OBE. (1926– 2014)
An Australian racing driver who was Formula One World Champion in 1959, 1960, and 1966. He was a founder of the Brabham racing team and race car constructor that bore his name.
In 1962 he established his own Brabham marque with fellow Australian Ron Tauranac, which in the 1960s became the largest manufacturer of customer racing cars in the world. In the 1966 Formula One season Brabham became the first, and still, the only man to win the Formula One world championship driving one of his own cars. He was the last surviving World Champion of the 1950s.
Brabham retired to Australia after the 1970 Formula One season, where he bought a farm and maintained business interests, which included the Engine Developments racing engine manufacturer and several garages. The Brabham team continued in Formula One, winning two further Drivers' Championships in the early 1980s under Bernie Ecclestone’s ownership.
HISTORY OF THE BRAND
The House of Breguet, founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, holds a unique position in the world of watchmaking. Acknowledged as one of the most prolific inventors of his time, having developed the tourbillon, gong spring, pare-chute shock protector, and Breguet balance spring, Abraham-Louis Breguet received recognition for his creativity across a number of Europe’s royal courts. In 1815, King Louis XVIII of France would go on to appoint him Chronometer-maker to the Royal Navy. The House of Breguet showed an early interest in watches designed for aviation, highlighting how watchmaking should contribute to progress in air navigation just as it had done so for marine navigation. The most important chapter in the history of the Breguet pilot watch began in the early 1950s with the Type XX model.