119 Breguet A historically important, extremely rare and highly complicated, minute repeater, split-seconds, one-minute tourbillon, oversized, skeletonized open-face pocket watch in silver, made in collaboration with Victorin Piguet laboratory and sold

Estimate: € 120,000 –⁠ 240,000

This remarkable and historically significant Breguet pocket watch, designed as an exhibition piece, is surely one of the brand’s most intricate creations. Its oversized solid silver case and fully glazed dial and case back, showcase its mechanical artistry. The watch features a one-minute tourbillon, split-seconds chronograph, and minute repeater, with the gilded movement made in collaboration with the Victorin Piguet workshop in Geneva, as confirmed by Breguet’s President of the Archive. Founded in 1872 in Le Sentier, Vallée de Joux, the Victorin Piguet workshop was renowned for crafting high-end movements and complications for brands like Breguet, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet. Led by master watchmaker Victorin Piguet, who contributed to the Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication, the workshop left a lasting legacy in Swiss precision watchmaking and innovation. The glass dial provides a clear view of the repeating racks and winding system, complemented by black Roman numerals, subsidiary dials for constant seconds and a 60-minute register. Beyond its mechanical complexity, this watch holds historical significance as it was owned by Allen Dulles, a key intelligence figure of the 20th century. The extract from the Breguet archives confirms it was made on April 30, 1962, and sold to Dulles for 9 543 Nouveaux Francs. As CIA Director from 1953 to 1961, Dulles played a key role in Cold War intelligence, orchestrating covert operations like the 1953 Iranian coup, the 1954 Guatemalan coup, and the U-2 spy plane program. A former OSS officer, he was instrumental in negotiating the surrender of German forces in Italy during World War II. His tenure ended in controversy after the Bay of Pigs invasion, leading to his resignation. He later served on the Warren Commission investigating Kennedy’s assassination. This extraordinary Breguet blends horological innovation with historical significance, offering collectors a rare opportunity. With the prestige of a legendary watchmaker and the provenance of a key Cold War figure, it is a priceless artifact of both mechanical brilliance and cultural value.