Property from the family of the original owner
A fine 18ct gold chronograph wristwatch with register and a gold Cartier deployant buckle
Breguet No. 3835 | Sold to Monsieur Rosemberg on 19 August 1937 for Fr. 3,000
Auction Closed
November 9, 08:49 PM GMT
Estimate
50,000 - 100,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
13’’’ gilded calibre 67, lever escapement, satin finished chronograph bridge work mounted to the back plate, jewelled to the centre, bi-metallic compensation balance, blued steel hairspring with Breguet overcoil, index regulator
silvered dial, black Arabic and baton hour indexes, outer rings for minutes/chronograph seconds, tachymeter to dial edge, two engine-turned subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 30-minute register, gold épée hour and minute hands, blued steel chronograph and subsidiary hands, signed and numbered Breguet 3835
18ct gold case, milled band, olive-shaped chronograph pushers, rounded bezel, polished snap-on back, case back interior numbered B 3835, French owl import mark and Breguet sponsor’s mark GB with spiral between in oval cartouche, Swiss poinçon de maître hammerhead 143 for Ed. & Ch. Nardin, rim of upper case with French owl import assay
gold Cartier deployant buckle twice hand stamped 12569, the blades and ‘D’ clasp punched three times with French eagle’s head assay and maker’s mark EJ in lozenge cartouche for Edmond Jaeger
Measurements
diameter 33.5mm
case depth 12.8mm (including crystal)
weight including strap and deployant 54g
Accompaniments
with a Breguet 250th Anniversary Certificate
Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.
The present chronograph wristwatch, numbered 3835, is an exceptionally rare example of Breguet’s interwar production. According to the firm’s archives, it was sold on 19 August 1937 to Monsieur Rosemberg for the sum of 3,000 Francs.
The watch displays several hallmarks of Breguet’s distinctive design language, including the finely executed coin-edge case band, elegant olive-shaped pushers, and a dial layout that balances technical utility with aesthetic refinement. Such discreet yet elegant details are characteristic of the Maison’s respect for their own traditions while accommodating the technical requirements of a chronograph wristwatch.
Extremely few Breguet chronographs of this type are known today. Based on our research, fewer than five examples have appeared on the international market in recent history, underscoring both the rarity and collectability of the reference. The present watch is fresh to market, having remained in the family of the original owner since its purchase in 1937.
The provenance of this watch is further enhanced by the remarkable story of its original owner. Acquired upon his appointment as Managing Director of the financial company Fauchier-Magnan, a historic Parisian charge d’agents de change that later became a brokerage firm. The watch accompanied him through a pivotal moment in history. During the Second World War, he narrowly escaped deportation after fleeing from a transport van enroute to a concentration camp. While many possessions were lost in the turmoil of the period, this watch remained in his care and was preserved within the family thereafter.
Offered for the first time at auction, the present chronograph represents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the very few known examples of a Breguet chronograph wristwatch from the 1930s, combining exceptional rarity and historical significance.