Early 19thc. 3rd Series Breguet No. 4085

A fine early 19th century “Montre Simple” pocket watch, in a hunter gold and silver case, with lever escapement, by Abraham-Louis Breguet.

Complete with certificate of authenticity produced by Breguet, Paris.

MOVEMENT : With a lever escapement and two arm compensated gilt balance.

All in excellent condition. The blued steel screws appear untouched and the gilding is still bright, except for the mainspring wheel which is dull. Running perfectly.

This watch originally had a cylinder escapement, but this had been changed to a lever escapement. This is noted on the certificate provided by Breguet so was done before 1976.

DIAL : Silver guilloche dial, signed BREGUET at 6. Subsidiary seconds dial offset at 5.

Gold Breguet hands, with blued steel seconds.

The crystal has a centre aperture to allow setting of the hands.

All in excellent condition.

CASE : Gold and silver hunter case, with gold back cover, cuvette, bezels, bow and stem. The front hinged hunter cover is fitted with a crystal. Engine turned engraving to the silver band, gold bezels and back cover.

The back cover is stamped with the case number (T 3936), movement number (B 4085), and case maker’s mark MAB. Also a later engraving “Xmas 1923”.
There are Paris gold marks for 1819-1838 on the stem, cover and cuvette.

The gold cuvette is signed :
Breguet
HORger. DE LA MARINE ROYALE
No. 4085

Good overall condition, with just a little wear to the engine turning and a few light scratches. The front glazed hinged cover is sprung and springs open correctly when the button on the top of the stem is pressed. The hinges on the back cover and cuvette are slightly loose when open, but close firmly.

This watch is described in the Breguet certificate as having a case of a ‘savonette form’, ie.with a hinged solid front cover. This case retains the hinged gold front bezel, but with a crystal rather than solid gold cover. Behind this cover there is a fixed glazed bezel. So presumably the front cover has been replaced with a glass cover. However the spare crystal in the box is a perfect match for this larger outer crystal and smaller than the inner fixed crystal.

BOX : Red Morocco leather with green back, and gilt highlights. Cream silk and velvet lined. Signed and numbered on the back (BREGUET No. 4085) and retailer’s stamp (JUMP) to the inside lid.

Fitted for the watch, and for the spare crystal on the right.

Good condition throughout, with just some marks to the silk lining and some small scuffs to the leather. The spare crystal is present and appears to be unused.

The box is typical of those accompanying Breguet watches and undoubtedly made for this watch. It is stamped with the matching serial number on the back, so could be original to the watch with the retailer adding their later gilt stamp, or could be later and provided by the Jump firm.

Jump & Sons moved to 93 Mount Street in 1898, and ceased trading in 1934. The Jumps were clock and watch makers to the Royal Family.

The watch is accompanied by a Certificate (No. 3466), provided by Breguet, Paris. This is dated 10th June 1976 and confirms the watch’s details as recorded in the Breguet Archives.

Breguet’s work was copied and faked probably more than any other watchmaker of the period. This watch is accompanied with a Breguet certificate (No. 3466), provided by Breguet, Paris in 1976. It describes Watch No. 4085 fully and shows the original buyer (Madame Le Duchene de Bedford) and price (1600 Francs).
The watch was originally bought from Breguet, on 14th June, 1824 by The Duchess of Bedford. This was Georgiana Russell, who married the 6th Duke of Bedford in 1803, and in 1823 met the artist Edwin Landseer with whom she had a scandalous affair.

Abraham-Louis Breguet was born in Neuchatel in Switzerland, in 1747 and moved to Paris in 1768. He died in 1823. He was by far the finest watchmaker of his time, an innovator and inventor as well as the maker of fine and beautiful watches.