Breguet built the first modern travel clock in 1796. He equipped it with a balance spring, successfully replacing the pendulum balance that was unfit for travel. Glass-covered on four sides and small in size, this clock bore the number 178. In April 1798, General Bonaparte purchased it to take with him on his Egyptian campaign.
Today, the Breguet collection still includes a travel clock fitted with both a hand-wound mechanical movement and thermometer, and it is on this clock that Breguet has based a limited series of seven travel clocks, the first of which, number one of seven, they have donated to Only Watch.
The clock is in the Art Deco style with columns and traditionally hand-guilloché dial. Breguet craftsmen still use guillochage lathes designed and built over a century ago. Once the dial plate has been hand-guillochaged, it is silver coated using techniques developed over two centuries ago. The well-finished, manual-winding movement in this clock is entirely made in Breguet’s Valley de Joux manufactory. The clock’s reverse contains a sapphire crystal through which you can view and appreciate the movement.
This unique timepiece will be offered on September 24 at the Only Watch auction conducted by Patrizzi & Co. during the Monaco Yacht Show. The auction enjoys the high patronage of HSH Prince Albert II, and all proceeds of the sale go to support research into Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Technical specifications
Breguet Travel Clock N°1/7
Only Watch 2009
Ref.: 6243AG/12/CR
Case: Silver 950.
– Face and back with guilloched gild plates
– Sides and top in rock crystal fitted on a silver plate
Movement: Hand-wound chronograph movement, numbered and signed “Breguet”
– Thermometer calibrated in both Celsius and Fahrenheit
– 8-day power reserve
– Cal. 564/1.
– 19 lines
– 7 jewels
– Lever escapement
– Monometallic balance-wheel, adjusted in 5 positions
Dial: Silver 925, hand guilloched, signed “Breguet”
– Chapter ring with Roman numerals
– Center seconds and minute totalizer
– Open-tipped blued steel Breguet hands
Temperature display: Thermometer calibrated in both Celsius and Fahrenheit
– Serpentine hand indicating the temperature
