French wandering digital jumping hours watch Circa 1948

Gold digital keyless lever watch by Breguet
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A French gold wandering jump hour keyless lever watch, circa 1948. Sold to Monsieur A. Braun on November 16, 1948, for 4,080 francs. This watch showcases a 17”’ damascened nickel movement with lever escapement, 19 jewels, and a bimetallic compensation balance. It bears the signature of Breguet and is identified by the serial number 1944. The silvered dial features a central rotating disc, an enlarged engraved gilded arrow, and an aperture for hours, pointing to an outer minute ring. It is signed and numbered as Breguet no. 1944, with the base engraved Brevete S.G.D.G., France. The 18k gold Murat case has a polished back and bezel, a flat gold pendant and ring, and is numbered 1944 on the inside back. It carries Swiss hallmarks for 18k gold and French import marks, and the inner body rim also bears Swiss and French control marks. It comes with a Breguet certificate dated November 16, 1948.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Signed: Breguet
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The movement is not running because the escapement is gummed up. When the time is adjusted manually, the hours jump as expected, and the action is smooth. The dial has been sympathetically refreshed, and the case is in repolished condition.
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In the 1920s, watch designers experimented with new ways to display time. The jump hour watch, while not a new concept, was particularly well-suited to the slim dress watches of the Art Deco period. In 1926, Breguet patented a watch design with a unique form of jumping hours. In this design, the hour aperture was placed at the edge of a revolving inner dial, forming a pointer that indicated the outer minute ring as the disc turned. Every hour, the new hour would appear within its aperture as its pointer reached the 60-minute marker.