French repeating lever jump hour watch with date Circa 1825

Gold and silver half quarter repeating lever by Breguet
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An extremely fine and rare French 18 carat gold and silver open faced half quarter repeating keywound lever jump hour watch with date, circa 1825. Répétition plate sur les principes des chronomètres. Sold on 30 September 1825 to the Duc de Berwick for the amount of 5,000 Francs. Gilded brass jewelled lever movement, three armed platinum and steel compensation balance, index regulator, half quarter repeating on one polished steel hammer onto a gong. Engine turned silver dial, eccentric hour dial with Roman numerals on blank chapter ring, outer dot minute divisions, secret signature Breguet No. 4602 to both sides of XII, gold Breguet hands, excentric subsidiary seconds dial to 3 o’clock, aperture for revolving date indication with Arabic numerals below 6 o’clock, movement advance/retard slide to 5 o’clock.
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Case with engine turned gold bezel, gold pendant and bow, the engine turned gold revolving back with bayonet catch turned to open/close the winding hole, date corrector button and gold repeating slide in the engine turned silver band, short length of gold and silver chain, gold ratchet key, one side for the male winding, one side for the setting of the hands. Case No. 4005 by the workshop of Pierre Benjamin Tavernier (later master’s mark MAB in a lozenge, used after 1820) and No. 4039, dial signed Breguet and numbered. Comes with silver and gold chain, ratchet key and burgundy Morocco fitted box.
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Diameter: 47.5 mm
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Signed: Breguet
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This piece is an exceptional example of one of Breguet’s extra slim repeating timepieces made ‘sur les principles des chronomètres’ (on the principles of chronometers), distinguished by their unparalleled quality and elegance. Breguet introduced the final form of his repeating watches, the ‘montres à répétition sur les principes des chronomètres’, in 1810, representing the ultimate grade of his repeating watches.
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A masterpieces from the workshop of the celebrated master watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823), ‘Watchmaker of the Kings, King of Watchmakers’.
Edouard Fitz-James, 6th Duke of Berwick (1776-1838), great-grandson of the famous James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick, illegitimate son of King James II of England by Arabella Churchill, sister of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. Born in Versailles in 1776, he was named premier aide de camp and gentilhomme de la chambre to the Count d’Artois, the brother of Louis XVI. He followed him to Lyon in 1815, in an attempt to stop the victorious march of Napoleon after his escape from Elba. After the second Restoration of the monarchy, he was made ‘Pair de France’ by King Louis XVIII. The Duke of Berwick took an active part in the ‘Chambre des Pairs’, defending the monarchy, but also fighting for freedom of the press and the right to free speech.