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Lot Essay
An epitome of Breguet's exceptional work and a world-class highlight for the enthusiast of outstanding timepieces, the present watch is highly important and historic as a key part of the development of one of Breguet’s most noteworthy and interesting inventions, the so-called ‘échappement naturel’ escapement. This watch, No. 1711, is the second example of Breguet's form of free escapement ever made and one of only four surviving watches from the first developmental period of the échappement naturel. In common with the detent escapement, the échappement naturel did not require oil on the impulse surfaces, it was 'Breguet's ultimate solution to the problem of a free escapement with natural lift' (George Daniels, The Art of Breguet, p. 319).
Only about 20 watches were made by Breguet with this escapement, of the roughly 4200 separate watches (some watches were bought back and sold under a new number) made in his main series. The present watch is part of the first group to be made. This first group comprises four watches which were made as part of the ongoing development of the escapement. Each watch in this group is different and each watch is part of a linear development of the escapement from the first watch, started in 1802, to the last started in 1806. A further eight watches were made in the second period of production, all with tourbillion carriages. In addition to the watches, some marine chronometers and carriage clocks used the escapement. The two earliest watches were the present example, and no. 1135 (a repeating watch, escapement made in 1803), both of small size, with rarer gold dials, and apparently planned to have new escapement at the outset. The other two watches, 1484 and 1085, were of larger size, with silver and enamel dials, seemingly neither initially planned to contain the new escapement but were taken from stock and upgraded.
For watch No. 1711, Breguet’s workbooks record that the ébauche was made by Benoit and delivered in November 1804, Tavernier supplied the case in December 1804, Kehlhoff the escapement on 26 December 1804 and its repassage was completed by Bernaudat on 12 Feb 1805. It was delivered to the buyer M. Galakoff on 5 September 1805 for the then enormous price of 3360 Francs. Breguet bought the watch back from Mr. Galakoff in May 1806, after which he instructed the casemaker Tavernier to engine-turn the back and re-number it as 2099. It was then sold to M. Castaneda, an agent for the Spanish royal family, on 14 June 1806.
Both dials of watch no. 1711 are of engine-turned gold, a material used by Breguet on only one in fifteen of his watches. It has the usual secret signatures found on metal dials, either side of the 'XII'. The signature is particularly crisp on this dial, possibly because gold dials do not tarnish and therefore do not need cleaning very often. The seconds dial is placed in Breguet's typically idiosyncratic way, wherever the movement layout demands, in this case between the 10 and 11 o’clock position.
Its case, serial number 2346, was made in 1804 by Pierre Benjamin Tavernier, one of Breguet's best early workers, and more frequently used by Breguet than any other case maker. With a diameter of 42 mm, watch no. 1711 is one of Breguet's smallest watches made on the principles of the garde-temps. In his advertisements of the time he states that 'All men's watches are of mid-size, e.g. 20 à 25 lignes' (45-56 mm). Small watches with diameters between 35 and 45 mm. were therefore not part of Breguet's normal production for men's watches.
The Échappement Naturel
Following the introduction of detent chronometer escapements with compensated balances, very close rates could be achieved in marine chronometers and to a lesser degree in pocket chronometers. This was mainly due to the minimal interference with the balance during unlocking and impulse, and partly due to the lack of the need for oil on the escapement's working surfaces. The detent escapement as used in pocket chronometers was prone to stopping as a result of motion. Breguet realized that this fault could be removed and many of the advantages of the detent escapement retained if an impulse were given in both directions rather than just one direction of swing of the balance. To achieve this, firstly in watch no. 1135, and secondly in the present watch, Breguet geared two escape wheels together, one brass escape wheel driven by the fourth wheel, in turn geared to and driving a second escape wheel in steel. A pivoted detent swings freely between them and locks each wheel in turn on pegs projecting above the rims of the wheels. The escapement has been described by several authors such as P. Chamberlain in: It's About Time, and in: George Daniels, op.cit., p. 319-321.
Only about 20 watches were made by Breguet with this escapement, of the roughly 4200 separate watches (some watches were bought back and sold under a new number) made in his main series. The present watch is part of the first group to be made. This first group comprises four watches which were made as part of the ongoing development of the escapement. Each watch in this group is different and each watch is part of a linear development of the escapement from the first watch, started in 1802, to the last started in 1806. A further eight watches were made in the second period of production, all with tourbillion carriages. In addition to the watches, some marine chronometers and carriage clocks used the escapement. The two earliest watches were the present example, and no. 1135 (a repeating watch, escapement made in 1803), both of small size, with rarer gold dials, and apparently planned to have new escapement at the outset. The other two watches, 1484 and 1085, were of larger size, with silver and enamel dials, seemingly neither initially planned to contain the new escapement but were taken from stock and upgraded.
For watch No. 1711, Breguet’s workbooks record that the ébauche was made by Benoit and delivered in November 1804, Tavernier supplied the case in December 1804, Kehlhoff the escapement on 26 December 1804 and its repassage was completed by Bernaudat on 12 Feb 1805. It was delivered to the buyer M. Galakoff on 5 September 1805 for the then enormous price of 3360 Francs. Breguet bought the watch back from Mr. Galakoff in May 1806, after which he instructed the casemaker Tavernier to engine-turn the back and re-number it as 2099. It was then sold to M. Castaneda, an agent for the Spanish royal family, on 14 June 1806.
Both dials of watch no. 1711 are of engine-turned gold, a material used by Breguet on only one in fifteen of his watches. It has the usual secret signatures found on metal dials, either side of the 'XII'. The signature is particularly crisp on this dial, possibly because gold dials do not tarnish and therefore do not need cleaning very often. The seconds dial is placed in Breguet's typically idiosyncratic way, wherever the movement layout demands, in this case between the 10 and 11 o’clock position.
Its case, serial number 2346, was made in 1804 by Pierre Benjamin Tavernier, one of Breguet's best early workers, and more frequently used by Breguet than any other case maker. With a diameter of 42 mm, watch no. 1711 is one of Breguet's smallest watches made on the principles of the garde-temps. In his advertisements of the time he states that 'All men's watches are of mid-size, e.g. 20 à 25 lignes' (45-56 mm). Small watches with diameters between 35 and 45 mm. were therefore not part of Breguet's normal production for men's watches.
The Échappement Naturel
Following the introduction of detent chronometer escapements with compensated balances, very close rates could be achieved in marine chronometers and to a lesser degree in pocket chronometers. This was mainly due to the minimal interference with the balance during unlocking and impulse, and partly due to the lack of the need for oil on the escapement's working surfaces. The detent escapement as used in pocket chronometers was prone to stopping as a result of motion. Breguet realized that this fault could be removed and many of the advantages of the detent escapement retained if an impulse were given in both directions rather than just one direction of swing of the balance. To achieve this, firstly in watch no. 1135, and secondly in the present watch, Breguet geared two escape wheels together, one brass escape wheel driven by the fourth wheel, in turn geared to and driving a second escape wheel in steel. A pivoted detent swings freely between them and locks each wheel in turn on pegs projecting above the rims of the wheels. The escapement has been described by several authors such as P. Chamberlain in: It's About Time, and in: George Daniels, op.cit., p. 319-321.