A very rare stainless steel diver’s wristwatch with date and Bakelite bezel
Breguet No. 1624 | Made in November 1962
Auction Closed
November 9, 08:49 PM GMT
Estimate
32,000 - 55,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
11½’’’ A. Schild automatic calibre 1581, lever escapement, 17 jewels, compensation balance
black dial, large luminescent hour indexes and hands, small aperture for date, white outer seconds track, white centre seconds with luminescent tip, outer white track for minutes/seconds
steel case, rotating black bakelite bezel with luminescent hour indexes, down-turned lugs, screw-down case back, numbered 1624
Measurements
diameter 37mm
depth including crystal 12.8 mm
Accompaniments
with a Breguet 250th anniversary certificate
One of the rarest and most desirable diver’s watches produced by any manufacturer, the present Breguet belongs to a very limited series made in the early to mid-1960s. The precise production figures remain undocumented, though research suggests fewer than 60 examples were completed, with variations noted in the design of dials, crowns, and bezels.
This watch displays the key attributes of early professional divers: a rotating Bakelite bezel with luminescent graduations, straight lugs, the absence of crown guards, and oversized luminous markers for legibility beneath the water’s surface.
In outstanding, unpolished condition, the case remains sharp and the Bakelite bezel insert -typically prone to cracking - survives intact. The dial is original, with luminous plots that have matured to a warm and charming crème brûlée hue. Only the hands have been replaced, their contrast against the dial adding to the watch’s distinctive character.