Breguet & Fils Marine Chronometer No. 4324
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1829
This marine chronometer is catalogued by the British Museum as made by Breguet & Fils in Paris in 1829, containing an unblued mainspring scratched with the signature of Vincent dated April 1826.
It is mounted in a brass bowl within brass gimbals inside a square mahogany box. The movement features an Earnshaw spring detent escapement on a detachable lenticular platform. Its flat engraved and silvered brass dial displays an upper auxiliary dial for hours and minutes, a lower seconds dial, an up-and-down indication sector, and a large bush around the winding aperture drilled through the bezel glass.
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
- Type
- Box marine chronometer
- Escapement
- Earnshaw spring detent
- Dial Signature
- Breguet et fils No 4324
- Place recorded
- France
- Production Place
- Paris (France)
- Maker / attribution
- Breguet & Fils
- Front Plate Punch Mark
- 4524
- Mainspring Maker and Inscription
- Vincent Avril 1826 76° 4325
Design
- Box and Housing
- The movement is housed in a brass bowl mounted in gimbals. This assembly is contained within a mahogany box equipped with handles, a lock, and a hinged lid over a glazed aperture. A locking mechanism, operated by a lever on the side of the gimbal ring, engages a brass frame to press against the bottom of the bowl. Spring-loaded wood screws are fitted to the sides of the box for securing the unit to a surface.
- Visible features
- • Brass bowl suspended in a gimbal ring within an open, hinged mahogany box. • Engraved silvered dial featuring an upper dial for mean time, a large subsidiary seconds dial below, an up-and-down sector, and a winding aperture with a large protective bush. • Rectangular printed trade label pasted inside the upper lid inscribed 'Edouard ANNE / BORDEAUX'. • Glazed circular viewing window in the upper lid above the movement bowl.
- Dial and Inscriptions
- The marine chronometer features a silvered, engraved brass dial. It is signed 'Breguet et fils No 4324'. The dial is held in a shallow recess by a single screw near the center, allowing it to stand proud of the dial plate. A large bush is integrated into the winding hole to protect the dial. In addition to the main dial for the time of day, there are subsidiary dials for seconds and an up-and-down state-of-wind sector.
- Movement and Internal Components
- The movement construction utilizes a half-plate design with three straight cylindrical pillars. The escapement is an Earnshaw spring detent type mounted on a detachable lenticular platform. Discrepancies in serial numbers are recorded: the front plate is punched 4524, and the mainspring is scratched with the number 4325. The mainspring, signed 'Vincent', is dated April 1826.
Identification
- Reference
- 1958,1006.1935
- Serial number
- 4324
- 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: While the dial is inscribed No 4324, the museum catalog notes the inside of the front plate is punched 4524 and the mainspring is scratched 4325.
- Research required: Internal movement details such as the Earnshaw escapement and mainspring signatures are not directly visible in the exterior photograph.