Anon. A very fine, rare and elegant 18K gold keywound cylinder watch with retrograde fly-back seconds

This lot is offered without reserve. On lots mark… Read more

Property from an Important Private European Collection

Anon. A very fine, rare and elegant 18K gold keywound cylinder watch with retrograde fly-back seconds

Unsigned, No. 3791, circa 1835

Details

Anon. A very fine, rare and elegant 18K gold keywound cylinder watch with retrograde fly-back seconds

Unsigned, No. 3791, circa 1835
Cal. 20''' cylinder movement, gold engine-turned and engraved cuvette, two-tone silver dial, eccentric champlevé radial Roman numerals on brushed ring, outer minute divisions, top with brushed retrograde seconds sector, gold Breguet hands, engine-turned "forme quatre baguettes" case, case numbered and punched with French guarantee marks used between 1819 and 1838
51 mm. diam.

Provenance

Formerly in The Private Collection of Theodore Beyer, Zurich

Special Notice

This lot is offered without reserve. On lots marked with an + in the catalogue, VAT will be charged at 8% on both the premium as well as the hammer price.

Lot Essay

With Breguet-style short gold chain and ratchet key.

Only very few watches with retrograde fly-back seconds are known before the 20th century. The present watch is a particularly attractive example taking inspiration from Breguet in the design of the fine engine-turned silver dial and gold case. It is furthermore preserved in extremely good condition. The fly-back seconds function is a great visual delight, it is operated from a steel pinion geared to the third wheel and a further sprung wheel on the dial plate causes the hand to fly back to zero after 60 seconds.

More from Rare Watches Including Important Private Collections

View All