Girard-Perregaux
Vintage 1945 Triple Bridge Tourbillon, Reference 9987 | A pink gold semi-skeletonised three bridge tourbillon wristwatch | Circa 2025
Auction Closed
May 10, 02:36 PM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 40,000 CHF
Lot Details
Description
Dial: semi-skeletonised
Calibre: cal. 9600 C automatic, 30 jewels
Case: 18k pink gold, case back secured by 4 screws
Case number: 105
Closure: 18k pink gold Girard-Perregaux folding clasp
Size: 34 x 48 mm (width x length including lugs)
Signed: case and movement
Box: yes
Papers: no
Accessories: Girard-Perregaux blank international guarantee card, instruction manual, product literature and presentation box with integrated winder and charger
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.
Within the repertoire of Girard-Perregaux, the Tourbillon Sous Trois Ponts d’Or remains one of the manufacture’s most emblematic creations. Its origins trace back to a patent filed by Constant Girard in 1884, with an early example earning a gold medal at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1889.
Reimagined as a wristwatch in 1991 for the manufacture’s 200th anniversary, following years of development, the model required the miniaturisation of its architecture while preserving its defining feature: the three gold bridges displayed on the dial side. Far from purely decorative, these bridges are integral to the movement, supporting the mainspring barrel, the gear train and hands, and the tourbillon cage respectively.
The result is a composition of remarkable clarity and symmetry, concealing a highly complex construction beneath its refined appearance. Offered complete with its full set of accessories, the present example represents a compelling opportunity to acquire one of horology’s most iconic and technically significant tourbillon wristwatches.