French gold pocket watch with Breguet certificate Circa 1860

Hunting cased pocket watch by Breguet
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A French gold hunting cased pocket watch – presented to Professor Siegel by the French Republic – with Breguet certificate, circa 1860.
18 carat gold case engraved with dedication; white enamel dial with Roman hours, sunk subsidiary dial for the seconds and spade hands; bridge movement and a screw compensation balance. Case signed and numbered.
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Diameter: 48 mm
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Weight: 91 g
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Signed: Breguet à Paris
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Achille Fould , who presented this pocket watch to the recipient, was a member of the National Assembly since 1848; in 1849 he was appointed minister of finance. He later became minister of state and eventually imperial minister. He always had an affinity for the fine arts though, so he eventually took over management of the Grand Opéra in Paris and was elected a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Fould died in 1867 at the age of 66. Professor Siegel, however, remains a mystery, unfortunately we have no information at all on him.