French gold single handed with chain and key Circa 1824

Gold watch with ruby cylinder escapement
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A very fine and extremely rare, small and thin 18k gold French pocket watch, circa 1824. Montre simple médaillon, constructed on the principles of the montre de souscription, with front and rear central winding, ruby cylinder escapement and single hand, with a short gold chain and male ratchet key. Accompanied by original period certificate mentioning the chain and male key, dating from the sale of the watch, and signed by Louis Breguet.

The back cover with central female winding aperture and rosette, secured by a single screw accessed from beneath the dial. Silver dial, radial Roman numerals and outer dot five-minute divisions, engine-turned centre, aperture for the regulator above 6 o’clock. Blued steel Breguet Souscription hand. A frosted gilt movement, souscription calibre, central barrel wound from the front or back, overhanging ruby cylinder escapement, three-arm gold balance, the top pivot with parachute, blued steel flat balance spring, index regulator. Dial signed, case and movement numbered.
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Diameter: 38 mm
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Signed: Breguet  Paris
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A Madame la Générale de Nuiblourg Breguet. Sold to Madame la Générale de Nuiblourg on June 5, 1824, for 1,500 francs. 

The present watch is a very rare example of the use of the Souscription calibre on a small scale. The watch can be wound from both the back and the front and for simplicity and elegance uses the Souscription type single hand which indicates every five minutes elapsed. For ease of adjustment, the regulator is accessed through an aperture in the dial. It is exceptional to find a watch with its original period certificate signed by Louis Breguet. The Breguet registers record the original purchaser of this watch as being Monsieur Martini. For a note about souscription watches.