Breguet et Fils gold pocket watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1798-1809
This gold pocket watch is attributed to the maker Abraham-Louis Breguet, with the movement signed 'Breguet et Fils' and identified by the number 1270. It features a gold engine-turned dial and a cylinder escapement.
The watch case is fashioned from gold and bears the mark of casemaker Pierre-Benjamin Tavernier. The object was manufactured in Paris, France, between 1798 and 1809, as indicated by the period marks present on the piece. It measures approximately 4.7 cm in height and 4.2 cm in width. The watch is currently held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, having been donated by Miss G. M. Pratt.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- 1798-1809
- Type
- Pocket watch
- Maker
- Breguet, Abraham-Louis (watchmaker); Tavernier, Pierre-Benjamin (casemaker)
- Escapement
- cylinder escapement
- Inscription
- Breguet et Fils
- Serial number
- 1270
- Place recorded
- France
- Place of origin
- Paris
- Maker / attribution
- Breguet, Abraham-Louis
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch is housed in a gold case featuring engine-turning decoration. The case bears the mark of the casemaker Pierre-Benjamin Tavernier, confirming its origin in Paris during the 1798-1809 period. The overall dimensions are 4.7 cm in height by 4.2 cm in width, with a depth of 0.8 cm. The gold dial is engine-turned and displays Roman numerals for the hour markers. The watch is signed 'Breguet et Fils' on the dial face, which serves as a primary identifier for the watch's origin.
- Visible features
- • Engine-turned gold dial surface • Roman numeral hour markers • Visible 'Breguet et Fils' signature on dial and movement • Deep blue hands
- Movement and Escapement
- The internal mechanism of the watch is identified as a cylinder escapement. The movement is marked by the firm 'Breguet & Fils' and carries the serial number 1270, which distinguishes this specific unit within the production history of the maker. The inclusion of the cylinder escapement is a feature noted in the description of the movement provided by the collection records.
- Provenance and Identification
- The object is entered in the museum archives under the accession number M.19-1957. The provenance of the piece is linked to the donation made by Miss G. M. Pratt to the institution. The attribution of the watch to Abraham-Louis Breguet and the casemaker Tavernier is based on museum documentation. The watch is catalogued based on its marks, including those dating it to 1798-1809. These archival details, including the maker's signature and the unique serial number, ensure the watch is identified within the broader horological context of Parisian gold watch production.
Identification
- Serial number
- 1270
- Accession number
- M.19-1957
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Specific production date within the 1798-1809 range is not more precisely identified.
- Research required: Internal mechanism functionality is not detailed in the source.