French yellow 18k gold quarter repeating watch Circa 1819

Gold cylinder watch by Brequet
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A rare yellow gold open faced quarter repeating watch, circa 1819. Sold to baron de victinghoff, accompanied by its original fitted box and a letter from eminent horologist eugene jacquet, circa 1949. Gilt movement, cylinder escapement, repeating on one gong with one hammer, guilloché dial, Roman numerals, outer minute track, gold Breguet hands, 18k gold engine-turned case, pull and twist repeating piston to pendant, dial and cuvette signed the case stamped, the original Breguet red leather box stamped with movement, the base of the box signed Breguet Pere Et Fils Quai De L’Horloge Du Palais.
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Diameter: 41 mm
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Signed: Breguet   Paris
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Accompanied by a letter on the stationary of the Musee D’Art et D’histoire in Geneva, written and signed by Eugene Jaquet, noted Swiss horologist and author of the book, Technique and History of the Swiss Watch, published in 1953. The letter dated 4 October 1949, gives details of the watch given to Eugene Jaquet by Monsieur G. Brown of Breguet in Paris. The watch, according to the letter, was sold for 3000 Francs to Baron de Victinghoff Pere on 5 February 1819.  

The well preserved box has the address Quai De L’Horloge Du Palais, no. 79., Breguet’s address for nearly 100 years. In 1870 the ownership of Breguet passed to the Brown family, headed originally by Edward Brown, and moved from its original famous address.  The Brown family would own Breguet for the next 100 years.  The ‘G. Brown’ referred to in the letter would be George Brown, who was the third generation of Browns to run Breguet until 1970, when the firm was sold to the Maison Chaumet.