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Watch: M/P.90 & A-1913

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Verge watch in gold enamelled case set with pearls.

MOVEMENT: Full plate movement engraved 'Breguet A Paris'. Balance bridge pierced and chased, central star and leaves, light work, polished steel coquette. Brass balance. Silver regulation dial engraved with 'A' and 'R', plain gold pointer. Plain fusee cock. Plain turned fusee iron post. Polished steel case bolt with conical end, nib under dial. Adjustable potance. Pillar plate with four turned pillars with tapered bases. Sunk centre wheel, third wheel bridge. Small wall on pillar side. Under-dial, set-up click, raised centre scratched 'S200', six punch marks next to case bolt. Fusee and chain, one lip on barrel, set-up ratchet under dial. Verge escapement. Train planted anti-clockwise.

DIAL: White enamel on copper, slightly curved, gilt edge, three feet, counter enamel scratched 'S200' and 'U'. Vertical Arabic quarter figures, line min. ring with dots at each 5 mins. Vertical Roman chapters. 'Breguet a Paris' in arc above VI. Plain winding hole at 1.30.

HANDS: Gold, pierced serpentine type.

CASE: Gold, consular with enamel and pearls. Bezel set with fifty-one pearls. Body edge engraved, back outer edge set with ring of fifty-two pearls, centre polychrome painted enamel plaque of a couple approaching the altar of love with fire. Sky dark blue, semi-transparent, with engine turning behind. Pendant, rectangular base with faces enamelled, sides stamped '223' and 'D', plain cylindrical stem to rectangular top, press piece on top. Plain stirrup bow.

CHAIN (A): Three strands, outer gold with engraved circular links, centre with rectangular enamelled links. Small middle plaque with gold and enamel, front blue and back black. Chains as above. Bottom plaque gold and enamelled with pearls. Straight key. Uncut seal matrix with rectangular handle enamelled both sides. Two drops, gold and enamelled with chain and flat drop.

It is unlikely that this was sold by Breguet in Paris, it is not like his work and does not have a 'secret signature'. It is one of many, probably Swiss made, watches made to imitate genuine Breguet watches.

Legal notes

Bequeathed by Frank Gray Smart

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1913-06-05) by Smart, Frank Gray

Dating

19th Century
Production date: circa AD 1820

Components of the work

Dial, Case, Chain composed of enamel ( on copper)
Movement composed of iron silver steel brass (alloy)
Dial Edge composed of gilt
Case, Chain composed of pearls
Dial composed of copper
Hands, Chain composed of gold
Chain (bottom Plaque) Diameter 32.75 mm
Movement (top Plate) Diameter 40.5 mm
Movement (pillar Plate) Diameter 41.75 mm
Case Diameter 50 mm Height 63.5 mm Thickness 18.25 mm
Movement (pillar) Height 3 mm
Chain Length 260 mm
Dial, Case
Movement, Chain
Movement, Hands

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: 'Breguet A Paris'
  • Location: Movement
  • Method of creation: Engraved
  • Type: Name
  • Text: 'S200'
  • Location: Movement
  • Method of creation: Scratched
  • Type: Number

Identification numbers

Accession number: M/P.90 & A-1913
Primary reference Number: 207257
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Tuesday 8 December 2015 Updated: Wednesday 14 March 2018 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Watch" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/207257 Accessed: 2024-12-27 12:28:07

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/207257 |title=Watch |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-27 12:28:07|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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