![A LARGE, FINE AND HIGHLY UNUSUAL GOLD AND SILVER OVAL CALENDAR WATCH WITH THERMOMETER DELIVERED TO COMTE PANIN AS A SIMULATED WATCH WITH SECRET PORTRAIT MINIATURE ON 26 FEBRUARY 1822, LATER COMPLETED AS A WATCH WITH THERMOMETER ON 15 JANUARY 1884 WITH SOUSCRIPTION MOVEMENT AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRINCE SCHERBATOFF FOR THE SUM OF 500 FRANCS, LATER THE PROPERTY OF THE PIANIST ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN 1822 - 1884, NO. 1682/4761 [ 寶璣大型金銀橢圓形日曆懷錶備溫度計，原為定製仿懷錶，內藏迷你畫像，1884年裝入Souscription定製機芯及溫度計，編號1682/4761]](https://dam.sothebys.com/dam/image/lot/28f25fee-4118-4c3b-89cb-b1ca1c963be2/primary/extra_small)
Masterworks of Time: Splendours for the East 「時間傑作：西器東傳」
Masterworks of Time: Splendours for the East 「時間傑作：西器東傳」
![View full screen - View 1 of Lot 528. A LARGE, FINE AND HIGHLY UNUSUAL GOLD AND SILVER OVAL CALENDAR WATCH WITH THERMOMETER DELIVERED TO COMTE PANIN AS A SIMULATED WATCH WITH SECRET PORTRAIT MINIATURE ON 26 FEBRUARY 1822, LATER COMPLETED AS A WATCH WITH THERMOMETER ON 15 JANUARY 1884 WITH SOUSCRIPTION MOVEMENT AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRINCE SCHERBATOFF FOR THE SUM OF 500 FRANCS, LATER THE PROPERTY OF THE PIANIST ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN 1822 - 1884, NO. 1682/4761 [ 寶璣大型金銀橢圓形日曆懷錶備溫度計，原為定製仿懷錶，內藏迷你畫像，1884年裝入Souscription定製機芯及溫度計，編號1682/4761].](https://sothebys-md.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c18a01b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1354x2000+0+0/resize/385x569!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsothebys-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fmedia-desk%2F52%2F26%2Fb8f265794ddbaf84336924f0f64d%2F003ge2024-9zxn3-1.jpg)
Breguet
A LARGE, FINE AND HIGHLY UNUSUAL GOLD AND SILVER OVAL CALENDAR WATCH WITH THERMOMETER DELIVERED TO COMTE PANIN AS A SIMULATED WATCH WITH SECRET PORTRAIT MINIATURE ON 26 FEBRUARY 1822, LATER COMPLETED AS A WATCH WITH THERMOMETER ON 15 JANUARY 1884 WITH SOUSCRIPTION MOVEMENT AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRINCE SCHERBATOFF FOR THE SUM OF 500 FRANCS, LATER THE PROPERTY OF THE PIANIST ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN 1822 - 1884, NO. 1682/4761 [ 寶璣大型金銀橢圓形日曆懷錶備溫度計，原為定製仿懷錶，內藏迷你畫像，1884年裝入Souscription定製機芯及溫度計，編號1682/4761]
Lot Closed
November 12, 03:29 PM GMT
Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Breguet
A LARGE, FINE AND HIGHLY UNUSUAL GOLD AND SILVER OVAL CALENDAR WATCH WITH THERMOMETER DELIVERED TO COMTE PANIN AS A SIMULATED WATCH WITH SECRET PORTRAIT MINIATURE ON 26 FEBRUARY 1822, LATER COMPLETED AS A WATCH WITH THERMOMETER ON 15 JANUARY 1884 WITH SOUSCRIPTION MOVEMENT AT THE REQUEST OF THE PRINCE SCHERBATOFF FOR THE SUM OF 500 FRANCS, LATER THE PROPERTY OF THE PIANIST ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN
1822 - 1884, NO. 1682/4761
[ 寶璣大型金銀橢圓形日曆懷錶備溫度計，原為定製仿懷錶，內藏迷你畫像，1884年裝入Souscription定製機芯及溫度計，編號1682/4761]
• Movement: circular souscription calibre, underslung ruby cylinder escapement, flat three-arm balance with bi-metallic compensation curb and parachute suspension, movement backplate numbered 4761, the surrounding oval plate signed and numbered Breguet no.1682/4761, bi-metallic thermometer mounted to the front plate beneath the dial, double rack and pinion to control temperature hand
• Dial: silver engine-turned oval dial, off-set satin finished chapter ring with Roman numerals, outer minute ring, inner date ring, sector for temperature calibrated in Réaumur beneath, single blued steel time hand, blued steel date hand, banner at the base signed Breguet
• Case: gold engine-turned back centred with a Cyrillic initial 'P' beneath a ducal crown under grey translucent soft enamel, aperture for winding above, engine-turned silver band, gold hinged engine-turned front bezel, date corrector beneath case back at 2 o'clock, pusher through pendant to release back cover, case back numbered B 1682 and with maker's mark MAB beneath a triangle for Tavernier, Tavernier number 3868 and French control marks
height including bow 93mm, width 61mm
To view Shipping Calculator, please click here
Prince Scherbatoff
Arthur Rubinstein
Antiquorum Geneva, The Art of Breguet, 14 April 1991, lot 29
Accompanied by a Breguet certificate dated 14 September 2020.
This highly unusual piece by Breguet was originally made as a 'simulacre de montre' [mock watch] designed to carry a portrait miniature. Later, in 1884, at the request of Prince Scherbatoff, the watch was returned to Breguet and fitted with a slim souscription calibre movement with provision for date indication. A thermometer with Réaumur calibrations was also added and a silver engine-turned dial produced to display all indications. The watch was later owned by Arthur Rubinstein as confirmed by the Breguet workbooks which note that Rubinstein returned the watch to Breguet on 5 June 1934 for service.
Arthur Rubinstein, one of the most famous and distinguished pianists of the 20th century, was a frequent visitor to Breguet in Paris. Over the years he amassed a small collection of Breguet watches of which the present piece, no. 1682, is the most famous. Rubinstein was born in the Polish city of Łódź in 1887 and his first public performance was made at the age of 7. Three years later Rubinstein moved to Berlin where, in 1900, whilst still barely a teenager, he played for the first time at the Berlin Philharmonic. In 1904 he moved to Paris and after his debut at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1906, he went on to tour the US, Austria, Italy and Russia. During World War One Rubinstein lived in London, during his thirties he returned to live for a time in Paris where he befriended, amongst others, Picasso and Jean Cocteau. During the Second World War, the United States became Rubinstein's permanent home, taking citizenship there in 1946. Rubinstein gave his last public performance at the age of 88 in London's Wigmore Hall; he died in Geneva on 20 December 1982.