Breguet

For the first time in my life, I had the chance to hold a vintage Breguet in my hands. A charming regulator which was penned in the Breguet archives as having sold in 1825. To think you can still own a piece of real history for the price of a standard iss...  

The guilloche work on this dial looked soft and beautiful... like your favorite shirt that has been through the wash too many times to count. I greatly appreciate modern Breguet, but often find the guilloche so crisp and perfect that it somehow distracts.... 

Surprisingly, the guilloche I enjoyed the most was that inside the minutes subdial. In my photos it looks a little muddled and nondescript. Under the loupe it was a pattern I am unsure of the name, but it reminded me of wind blowing across a grassy field....  

I am extremely partial to vintage Breguets especially those made during Breguet's lifetime. I keep deliberating if I should get one at auction as what Breguet did over 200 years ago is simply mind boggling and well ahead of his time. I feel these vintage ... 

I believe there is a 0% chance these will be any less value in the future, and you will have the chance to hold true history in your hands. A complication would be fantastic, but even the simple time-only’s are something to behold!

I had my eyes on this souscription piece and will look out for the next one offered at auction ...  

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and you know what put me off?! It did not come with its solid case back and I recall you mentioning that you sold yours for this reason. So the simple rule of thumb was - if it ain;t good enough for Nico, it ain't good enough for me!

a few of the 225 owners have kept the case back and plan to sell their watch during my lifetime

Can I see it?

It belongs to a local collector and is in his possession now. Unfortunately it’s not our mutual friend, but I’d be willing to bet you’ll have a chance to see it one day.

Considering it’s 200th birthday is less than 5 years away, I’d say it’s in great condition.

What you say rings very true. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for sharing this with us! What does your young son think of it?

Horological distancing if you will.

Actually seeing - and handling - something made by probably the greatest watchmaker of all times. Interesting power reserve. And the winding key is a piece of jewelry in itself.

A - advance R - retard

Silly me ..... (should have known better).

Je comprise en peu, mais je ne parlez pa. French is after all the international watchmaking language, even if I learned the Norwegian and German way. You know, the Swiss-German watchmaking "tribal language" has quite a few French words in the vocabulary. ... 

I also understand Swiss German dialects, that is probably the linguistic skill I am most proud of.

Beautiful pocket watch in great condition. Thanks for sharing.

I only wish I had more time, and of course to see and photograph the movement

Which are much more interesting to buy than many of these modern watches... Thanks for sharing this marvel, Brandon. Best, Nicolas

I didn't dare ask him to crack it open a la John Goldberger with a cheese knife