Mugnier Horloger de l'Empereur et Roi No. 795
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1805
This 18k gold quarter-repeating 'Grande Sonnerie' clock-watch, numbered 795, is attributed to the horologist Mugnier, active in Paris. Dating to approximately 1805, the watch features an Empire-style four-body case constructed by Amy Gros.
The white enamel dial displays Breguet numerals and is accompanied by blued steel Breguet-style hands. Technical features include a going train with a free-standing barrel, a plain gold three-arm balance with a Breguet 'parachute' suspension, and a flat balance spring with a compensation curb. The striking mechanism utilizes a fixed barrel with a revolving arbor to strike hours and quarters, with repeating functions activated by a button on the pendant.
The piece is signed by the maker on both the dial and the hinged gilt brass cuvette, reflecting an early 19th-century production standard.
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
- Grande Sonnerie clock-watch
- Maker
- Mugnier
- Dating
- circa 1805
- Diameter
- 54 mm
- Material
- 18k gold
- Case Maker
- Amy Gros
- Escapement
- Robin's detent-lever
- Serial Number
- 795
- Place recorded
- France
- Maker / attribution
- Mugnier
Design
- Case and Dial
- The timepiece is housed in a four-body, Empire-style case produced in 18-karat gold. The assembly includes a hinged gilt brass cuvette protecting the movement. The dial is rendered in white enamel and is clearly legible with black Breguet-style numerals. The time is indicated by a pair of blued steel Breguet hands. A subsidiary seconds dial is integrated into the primary face, positioned above the six o'clock marker. Signatures are present on the dial surface.
- Visible features
- • White enamel dial with black Breguet numerals • Blued steel Breguet-style hands • Sub-seconds dial positioned at six o'clock • Polished gold case finish
- Movement and Escapement
- Internally, the watch contains a 22-line gilt brass movement. It is equipped with a Robin detent-lever escapement, a mechanism noted in the documentation for being less sensitive to inertia than standard pivoted or spring detent varieties. The going train incorporates a free-standing barrel, while the balance assembly consists of a plain three-arm gold balance supported by a Breguet-style 'parachute' shock protection system. The striking train is powered by a fixed barrel with a revolving arbor.
- Maker and Historical Context
- The watch is attributed to Mugnier, identified in the auction record as the younger, who served as a watchmaker to the Emperor and later to the brother of Louis XVIII. His workshop was located on the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs in Paris. The documentation notes that Mugnier served an apprenticeship under Abraham Louis Breguet. The construction of this watch involves an original blank design also utilized by Breguet. The inclusion of the Robin detent-lever escapement is described as a mark of the maker's high-quality production, placed in a category the source compares to the 'Perpetuelles' produced by his master.
Identification
- Serial number
- 795
- 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: Attribution to Mugnier the younger depends on the auction description
- Research required: Stylistic comparisons to Breguet are subjective interpretations by the source
- Research required: Functional state of the striking mechanism and movement not independently verified