February 2021ratskunk

Never Mind the Bollocks…Here's Thomas Engel
…the Ka of Breguet
& interludes of time

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Caveat lector: The article is more-or-less a hodge-podge of Thomas Engel germane to A.L. Breguet; confessedly sans narrative even wandering the article touches upon the namesake as author, collector and watchmaker—please note the author (myself) is not a scholar, horological or otherwise (the article is more treat than treatise), therefore even though reasonable attempts were made to describe things as they are fiction may have crept in (by stealth not intent) where documentation is scant if extant at all. Corrections to errata are welcome. Pictures of watches and books from the author's library else foraged from auction catalogs etc. and bumblingly photoshopped, resized, arranged etc. by the author.

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Preface

Thomas Engel's journey from PoW camp to The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers Honorary Liveryman, Freeman of the City of London, Breguet liege-man and a watchmaker in his own right is a passage unlikely to be retraced. Hopefully this Thomas Engel potpourri so-to-speak fosters within the intrepid or masochistic reader of this dog's dinner of a waffle an appreciation for Thomas Engel: author, collector, watchmaker and Breguet spiritual doppelgänger and/or whets the reader's appetite for trekking hitherto leafy horological trails.

To lend cosmos to the chaos is a road-map regarding the omnium gatherum of horological vignettes i.e. ragbag topics…

Interludes: L'Horloge, l'énigme secondes d'un coup, the Lord Spencer, A Clock stopped, Modesty Blaise, Sun Ra, Magical Thinking, Francis Bacon, The sound and the fury, It's About Time, Centenaire de A.L. Breguet 1923, Stradivarius, Auguste Rodin vs. Jeff Koons, Apollinaire, Rolex-Rolex-Rolex.

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Thomas Engel Biographical Sketch

A cursory bio, for more detail see «Thomas Engel, Ein Moderner Thomas Edison Die Biographie» ^[02]: TE (German: 1927–2015), ≈20 years of age TE after the war emgered from the American PoW camp at Inglostadt (Bavaria) to labor as a factotum before the autodidact TE began experimenting with organic chemistry & plastics (inventing cross-linked polyethylene PEX), awarded the 1972 Rudolf-Diesel-Medaille and eventually obtaining many remunerative patents enabling TE to indulge his lifelong horological passion begining in the 1950s inflamed by Sir David Salomons' Breguet book ^[09] not only amassing a superb horological collection ^[03] including many Breguet timepieces but also creating his own Breguet-inspired watches, a self-taught watchmaker TE mastered 18^th and 19^th century watchmaking tools particularly the rose engine becoming an accomplished dial and case maker.

The TE autobiography is availabe in German «Ein Moderner Thomas Edison Die Biographie» and in English (the NAWCC library has the English version). The cover of the book displays the United Kingdom patent certification # 1158011 (3/9/1967) awarded to Thomas Engel for “Improvement in or relating to apparatus and process for the preparation of Polymeric Materials.”

Suprisingly to the author Thomas Engel's autobiography makes mention of Breguet only a handful of times featuring only two pictures of Breguet watches: No. 3167 and No. 65/722 both presumably owned by Thomas Engel (both watches also appear in «Watchmaker to Kings»).

After parting with his watch collection and disheartened by the reticence and apathy towards his dream of the Engel-Time-Museum Thomas Engel reportedly withdrew from horology and retired to the Côte d'Azur and turned his attention to painting, reading and writing short-stories.

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A.-L. Breguet
Watchmaker to Kings
Thoughts on Time by Thomas Engel

Ad perpetuam memoriam of Breguet: Fortunat F. Mueller-Maerki calls the book lavish: yes the book is lavish almost baroque…the book offered as an homage to A.-L. Breguet is a fitting oblation like frankincense and myrrh…marbled end-papers, top edge gilt, heavy cream paper, bound in the style of Breguet's “Etui maroguin rouge” and pictures befitting a Breguet. The book features the life & achievements of A.-L. Breguet (1747–1823), sundry ruminations on Breguet (Thoughts on Time), watches and collecting and 30+ Brequet timepieces many with their Breguet certificate. There are sections on Breguet's tourbillons, enamel & metal dials, watchcases, collecting Breguets past and present, ≈17 historic drawings and sketches and an essay on Time & Space. Since its publication «Watchmaker to Kings» has been a perennial bibliography entry in the Breguet literature and is in the good company of Breguet books by David Salomons ^[09] and George Daniels ^[06].

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The Breguet timepieces featured in «Watchmaker to Kings» in order of appearance (L→R)…

No. 3008 The Leroy	No. 2077 The king of Spain	No. 1176 The Comte Potocky	No. 1588 The Leroy
No. 689 The Lucien Bonaparte	No. 153/4570 The Pozzo di Borgo	No. 1767 The Lord Berwick	No. 3624 The Davidoff
No. 1645 The Recordon	No. 65/722 Le Petit	No. 164 The Legras	No. 2782 The Hervey
No. 219 The Dumergue	No. 47 The Lord Spencer	No. 1776 The King George III	No. 2934 The Inconnu
No. 4285 The Raguse	No. 987 The Prince Russe	No. 2810 The Leroy	No. 3519 The Davidoff
No. 3167 The Havre	No. 444 The Renble	No. 370 S.A. Ismail Pascha	No. 2362 The Steinkeller
No. 217 The Havas	No. 1320 The Leroy Constantinople	No. 936 The Ismail Pacha II	No. 4297 The Whaley
No. 2961 The Inconnu	No. 2292 The Labouchère	No. 26 The Castellane	No. 2568 The Moltshanoff
No. 3545 The Ducon	No. 53 The Orloff

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★ n.b. The author mistakenly had taken for granted all the watches appearing in «A.L. Breguet: Watchmaker to Kings» belong(ed) to Thomas Engel but TE notes in the book “My thanks go…to the numerous unnamed collectors who trustingly made their watches…available to me for reproduction”—the book does not per se mention the owners of the watches but safe to suppose the following watches in the book were owned by TE as the watches are listed in «Professor Thomas Engel Collection-Part 1»: Breguet Nos. 164, 1320, 2292 and 3519—the last three watches currently Collection Montres Breguet S.A. according to «Breguet. An apogee of European watchmaking» ^{[37, pg. 132, 137, 109]}. Breguet No. 2077 also belonged to Thomas Engel. Further note Breguet Nos. 987 & 2782 appearing in «Watchmaker to Kings» were attributed to “Collection Thomas Engel” in the 1976 Musée International d'Horlogerie exhbition: L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet ^[13].

★ n.b. Breguet No. 1776 (The King George III) is assumed to have belonged to Thomas Engel: Christoph Allemann's article (Chronometrophilia No. 19) features three Breguets of which two Breguets belonged to Thomas Engel, the third Breguet in the article is No. 1776 suggesting the watch too belonged to Thomas Engel (picture of No. 1776 from George Daniels' «The Art of Breguet»).

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Interlude
L'Horloge—Baudelaire

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Thomas Engel-Breguet Timepieces

Thomas Engel created ≈40 timepieces (estimate based on available documentation) in the manner of A.-L. Breguet using the Zenith calibre 5010/5011K ^† as the ébauche. The watches can be grouped into two categories: Type Concours Observatoire and Tourbillons—the numbering system is abstruse if not byzantine as across auction houses and sundry references there seems to be a lack of consensus regarding the number assignment…often it's puzzling as to whether a watch is being referred to by its case no., movement no., certificate no. or some handy sobriquet—the author's summary of the numbers is more guess than science. Manfred Rössler noted in his book on Zenith ^{[73, pg. 98]}…

† Hauke Heffels' Klassik Uhren article “Eine Zeitreise von den Entdeckungen Guillaumes bis zur Clingeric 21 (A journey through time from Guillaume's discoveries to Clingeric 21) ^{[24, pg. 24–28]} provides a summary of the Zenith 5011K caliber.

The numbered pocket-watches listed are the Thomas Engel-Breguet watches referenced (by the author) through auction records, books, articles etc. representing ≈40 timepieces.

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★ n.b. Manfred Rössler's article «Thomas Engel: Taschenuhr-Chronometer Im Stile Breguets» (Klassik Uhren ^{[04, pg. 26–43]}) is as complete a reference as can be imagined regarding the Engel-Breguet watches therefore eminently recommended. It is nigh impossible for the author (myself) to attempt concordance between the Klassik Uhren article and the watches noted in the present article—please don't let the minutia of discordance hinder the appreciation of the watches. From the Klassik Uhren article…

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The Thomas Engel-Breguet watches featured guilloché dials with Roman numerals & days of the week in French, engine-turned 18K gold cases (on occasion Email-Arbeit), gold Breguet hands with an extra set of blued-steel apple hands, spare main-spring, watch rate certificates from Controle Officiel Suisse des Chronometres, La Chaux-de-Fonds, wooden presentation box (some boxes have a U-shaped closure) and a hand-written certificate. The frontispiece of the presentation box says: “Thomas Engel (w/ TE mark), Chronometrie Classique en homage á A. L. Breguet, Montres De Haut Précision, Type Concours Observatoire”. Winding and setting of time for most if not all the Thomas Engel-Breguet watches is performed by twisting the bow.

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Type Concours Observatoire

Concours Observatoire No. 39, jump-hour, sweep-center-seconds circa 1985 along with Concours Observatoire No. 6, circa 1980 and Concours Observatoire No. 8, circa 1980s.

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Thomas Engel No. 1 Tribute to A. L Breguet, Type Concours Observatoire circa 1964 (?), Thomas Engel Concours Observatoire No. 17 circa 1980 and Thomas Engel Concours Observatoire No. 19 (courtesy Musée lnternational d'horlogerie, La-Chaux-de-Fords).

Picture credit: Thomas Engel No. 19 Collection du Musée International d'Horlogerie La Chaux-de-Fonds, Suisse. © Photo MIH

Regarding the 1964 Thomas Engel No. 1: the date seems quite early as Thomas Engel in an inteview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says he [Engel] learned the watchmaker trade between 1975–1980 and TE's master craftsman certificate is dated 1979 though the certificate accompanying the Tajan auction seems to list the date 1964—the author remains flummoxed.

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Thomas Engel No. 9 Type Concours Observatoire 18k gold openface keyless lever watch with power reserve, thermometer, day of week and bow winding and setting mechanism…

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Thomas Engel Unk-1 Type Concours Observatoire: Rössler ^{[04, pg. 42]} notes as “Zenith Kaliber 5011K (mit geteilter Räderwekbrüke), zwei hilfszifferblätter anziege der stunden (2 zeitzone).” The watch can be found in Chronometrophilia No. 19 ^{[25, pg. 73]} (along with an unidentified Thomas Engel regulator-style watch) in the Christoph Allemann article: “Geschichte und Anwendung der Guillochiertechnik im UhrenBau (History and application of guilloché technology in watchmaking).” The article offers no particulars about the watch itself but the author (Allemann) thanks Thomas Engel for his “great patience and enormous expenditure of time.”

★ n.b. Christoph Allemann notes in the Chronometrophilia No. 19 article Thomas Engel's attempt to achive the Breguet guilloché aesthetic …

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Thomas Engel No. 7 Type Concours Observatoire (Ineichen Zürich), No. 11 Type Concours Observatoire (Sotheby's), No. 26 Type Concours Observatoire (Christie's) and No. 25 Type Concours Observatoire (Bonhams).

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Thomas Engel No. 29 Type Concours Observatoire designed in the manner of Breguet's souscription watches with a single hand reading the hours and minutes at five-minute intervals. Pictured with Breguet No. 580 circa 1800 and Breguet No. 4455 circa 1827.

Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.picasso

★ n.b. The author remembers a wonderful picture of a collection of souscription timepieces belonging to Jean-Claude Sabrier (1938–2014): horological scholar and the author of the tome «Longitude at Sea in the Time of Louis Berthoud and Henri Motel». The collection included the souscription watches: Breguet Nos. 245, 283, 1383, 3907 and 4427—the watches were sold in the May, 2015 Chayette & Cheval sale: La Collection Scientifique de Jean-Claude Sabrier.

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Thomas Engel No. 3 Concours Observatoire circa 1980 sold by Sotheby's in 2012 (pictures from Antiquorum 2005) and No. 16 Concours Observatoire. The reader will notice a small difference in the temperature display: No. 16 is much closer to the minute-track than No. 3.

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The Zenith-Thomas Engel Collection: the genesis of these watches are a mystery to the author as the birth of the watches seems sprinkled with vagueness—a suite of 75 (25 of each dial design) Breguet-inspired, Zenith-Thomas Engel collaboration 50mm watches using the Zenith calibre 68 (19 lignes): «Zenith: The Story of a Watch Manufacture Under a Guiding Star» ^{[72, pg. 281–282]}. The Zenith-Engel watches are signed both Zenith and Thomas Engel on the dial. The Zenith-Engel watches pictured: Christie's 2020, lots 3–5: advertisements for the watches appeared in the 1985 Chronométrophilia No. 19 (featuring reference nos. 32.0020.016 and 32.0030.016) and the July, 1983 Alte Uhren featuring all three Zenith-Engel watches…

Alte Uhren (July 1981) notes the introduction of Zenith Tradition collection of Breguet-style, Thomas Engel signed watches. The Zenith-Thomas Engel watches are noted in the Nachrichten section of Alte Uhren April, 1983.

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Tourbillons

Nun aber selbst ein Tourbillon zu bauen mit Hilfe von Herrn Daners, das war eine große Herausforderung, die wir beide annahmen. Daners wollte das Drehgestell konstruieren und bauen, ich das Werk, Ziffernblatt und Gehäuse. Es dauerte nur etwas mehr als ein Jahr, bis das erste Tourbillon tickte. Was für eine Freude! Herm Daners ließ es ziemlich kalt. Für mich als Laie war es aber ein unvergesslicher Augenblick in meinem Leben. Ich war machtig stolz.

But now to build a tourbillon ourselves with the help of Mr. Daners, that was a big challenge that we both accepted. Daners wanted to design and build the bogie, I wanted to design the movement, dial and case. It only took a little over a year for the first tourbillon to tick. What a joy! Herm Daners left it pretty cold. For me as a layman it was an unforgettable moment in my life. I was very proud. Thomas Engel ^{[02, pg. 203]}

Thomas Engel No. 28 (Richard Daners one-minute flying tourbillon), circa 1980, 56.5mm, 12 & 24 sidereal and solar time, annual calendar and thermometer with an additional engine-turned silver dial, spare-main-spring and extra hand-set, wound and set by the crown and a pin in the case band. No. 28 with the silver dial installed (pictured far-right) is featured in «Richard Daners: Sein Werk-Son Oeuvre» ^{[41, pg. 88–89]}.

★ n.b. No. 28 tourbillon maybe inspired by Breguet No. 2807 and Breguet No. 4112 (respectively «A.-L. Breguet pendant la révolution» ^{[08, pg. 93]} and «The Art of Breguet» ^{[06, pg. 267]})—equation-of-time, annual calendar, moonphase timepieces (moonphase for No. 4112 on the movement itself). B&W picture of Breguet No. 4112 reproduced from Daniels & Markarian's «Watches & Clocks in the Sir David Salomons Collection» ^{[11, pg. 74]}. Breguet 2807 was sold to General Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov in 1817.

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Thomas Engel No. 14 (case # 21) tourbillon, circa 1980 (COSC certificate 22610 dated 1.1.1984)…

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R. Daners fecit Lucerna

Richard Daners kennen, den meiner Meinung nach begabteststen Uhrmacher der Schwiez.Thomas Engel ^{[02, pg. 199]}

To the best of the author's knowledge most if not all the Engel tourbillons were made by Richard Daners (Essen, Germany, 1930–2018) the celebrated watchmaker and longtime Gübelin collaborater. Pictured below (left) is the Gübelin “Turbulences” made by Richard Daners and Marion Müller to celebrate Gübelin's 150^th anniversary. A nice overview of Richard Daners' horological creations can be found in the little book: «Richard Daners: Sien Werk-Son Oeuvre»—in 1997 Richard Daners received the prestigious Prix Gaïa from the Musée International d'Horlogeriea joining the company of George Daniels, Derek Pratt & Philippe Dufour.

Thomas Engel No. IV (case 35) one-minute tourbillon circa 1983, in the upper-right of the movement is Richard Daners' signature [Regulateur à Tourbillon construction R. Daners, Lucerne]. Richard Daners' Gemini differential tourbillon ^{[41, pg. 106–107]} circa 2005: description includes: “Rohwerk Zenith/Engel stark modifizeirt” (raw work Zenith/Engel heavily modified).

★ n.b. Diese Rohwerke [Zenith 5011K/5010T] bekam dann Richard Daners, einer der derzeit größten Meister auf dem gebiet der uhrmacherischen Komplikationen. Richard Daners baute dann nach den Ideen und Vorstellungen von Thomas Engel die entspechenden Zusatzmechanismen wie Tourbillon, Datum, Bimetall-Thermometer, Auf- und Abwerke, Anzeigen für Wochenhtage und regulator-Anzeige, etc. ein. Klassik Uhren ^{[04, pg. 27]}.

A Richard Daners tourbillon made for the German über-collector Gerd Ahrens (1920–2005); signed Für G. Ahrens Anno 1987. The escape-wheel and balance-wheel were supplied to Gerd Ahrens by Thomas Engel and die Guillochen stammen von Thomas Engel. Apropos of Breguet: Gerd Ahrens' first collector's watch purchased from Galerie Fischer (Luzern) was Breguet No. 4763 circa 1845 (pin-pallet escapement).

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Thomas Engel No. IX one-minute tourbillon (tourbillon carriage by Richard Daners), 56mm, circa 1982 and Thomas Engel No. 1991 specially made for the Breguet exhibitions in London, Geneva, Paris, New York, Brussels and Zurich in 1986. Gold keyless pocket chronometer with one minute tourbillon, thermometer and winding indicator…

★ n.b. Thomas Engel No. 1991 mayhap inspired by Breguet No. 2247, circa 1809, minute-repeater, state of winding on the left and thermometer on the right…though the fan-displays of Thomas Engel No. 1991 are more reminiscent of the upward-sweep of the fan-displays of Breguet No. 4745 Sympathique watch (clock No. 257).

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Thomas Engel-Breguet Montre à Tact timepieces: No. 27 and No. 17 (the watch is pictured in Engel's Breguet book ^{[01, pg. 123]}). Montre à Tact obtain their name from the method used to tell the time, which is to feel the position of the hand at the front of the case relative to the touch pieces set at the edge of the case (Daniels ^{[06, pg. 63]}).

On the right a similar design with see-through case-back: a student watch from the National School of Watchmaking of Cluses, France, circa 1940s; the front of the watch is a standard dial and on the back of the watch a glass case-back with Montre à Tact; the watch is part of the collection at Musée l'horlogerie et du décolletage (Cluses, France). Handwritten description of Tourbillon No. 17 from certificate No. 33 dated 23, May 1981.

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Thomas Engel Tourbillon No. VIII circa 1983 (described Das Tourbillon ^{[40, pg. 281])}, unidentified Thomas Engel tourbillon ^{[73, pg. 99]}, purple enamel case-back with gold-accents and Thomas Engel No. 15 tourbillon.

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Thomas Engel No. 3 tourbillon circa 1982. The dial with the letters “Dr. K. Ste_grad” is from Ineichen Zürich auction 125 (2000). The watch appears as lot 314 in Dr. Crott's auction 89 (2014) with a Roman numeral dial.

★ n.b. Two Breguet watches with the owner's name on the dial: Breguet No. 3966 and Breguet No. 4704…

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Thomas Engle jump-hours tourbillons (circa 1979): [No. 000 (Jump-hour) & No. 4 (Jump-hour)]—both watches are listed as “Fotos Thomas Engel” (Klassik Uhren ^{[04, pg. 43]}). By appearences excepting one watch has a silver dial and the other gold the watches are more-or-less similar in design and function: Zenith ébauche, one-minute tourbillon, bimetallic thermometer, circa 1979: the author was unable to locate any auction appearances of the two watches. Thomas Engel writes of Breguet's jump-hour watches…

★ n.b. Two Breguet pérétuelle à heure sautante (jump-hour), minute-repeating watches: Breguet No. 30 circa 1791 (Hans Wilsdorf Collection) and Breguet No. 28 circa 1791 (Musée international d'horlogerie). See «The Art of Breguet» ^{[06, pg. 69]} for Breguet's use of the jump-hour in repeating timepieces. Breguet No. 44 circa 1792, ten-minute repeater à toc with jumping-hours: Cecil Clutton notes Breguet No. 44 may be the earliest surviving Breguet jump-hour watch «Collector's Collection» ^{[62, pg. 62]}.

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Thomas Engel No. X one-minute tourbillon Garde Temps.

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Das Tourbillon-Faszination der Uhrentechnik

Reinhard Meis' grand book «Das Tourbillon-Faszination der Uhrentechnik» ^[40] includes five Thomas Engel-Breguet tourbillons.

Thomas Engel tourbillon No. 2b (stamped No. 2) with thermometer (Das Tourbillon ^{[40, pg. 279]}) and tourbillon No. 2 (Benoît), circa 1978 (Sechs-Sekunden-Tourbillon, Grundkaliber von Zenith, nach Benoit) (Das Tourbillon ^{[40, pg. 282]}). Rössler notes the dial (left) of No. 2 (Benoît) is “später geändertes” ^{[04, pg. 31]}—the watch with the “ursprüngliches” dial shown on the right is reproduced from Chronométrophilia No. 21 ^{[26, pg. 29]}.

Richard Daners discusses the Thomas Engel No. 2 (Benoît) in the April 1987 Alte Uhren article «Ein Tourbillon nach A. H. Benoît»…

Thomas Engel in the only article the author located written by the watchmaker himself discusses Benoît's tourbillon and Thomas Engel's No. 2 (Benoît) in the article «Das Tourbillon nach A. H. Benoit» (Alte Uhren April, 1980 ^[23])…

Thomas Engel tourbillon No. VI (movement only), Das Tourbillon does not display the dial of the watch.

Thomas Engel tourbillon Unk-3 regulator with temperature display Das Tourbillon ^{[40, pg. 280]}. The temperature is shown in degrees Celsius from 5° to 30°. The green enamel tourbillion with temperature display is listed as No. VIII in Antiquorum (2012, lot 41).

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An Alte Uhren article «Uhren fur sammler gesehen auf der basler mustermesse 1983» (Watches for collectors seen at the Basel sample fair 1983) by Martin Huber includes a paragraph about Thomas Engel and a picture of an unidentified Thomas Engel tourbillon(s).

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Thomas Engel No. 15b tourbillon. Though the auction does not list the movement as 5011T Rössler ^{[04, pg. 35]} notes “Zenith Kaliber 5011T (Rädarwerk und Ausdrehung für den Tourbillonkäfig).” The watch is a departure from the other Thomas Engel-Breguet watches with spade-hands, silvered-dial, hinged-case & 66mm; the movement is marked “Tourbillon gebaut für Stefan Ludwig”.

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Thomas Engel No. 12, certificate No. 000, circa 1998, 56.5mm, tourbillon, moon-phases and power-reserve indicator. Auction description says: “tourbillon carriage in this watch is also likely to have been manufactured by the celebrated watchmaker Richard Daners.” To the author's knowledge No. 12 is the only Thomas Engel-Breguet moonphase pocket-watch.

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Curiouser and curiouser: The Thomas Engel No. 10 pictured below along with its auction description (Antiquorum 2007) uses an IWC ébauche versus the Zenith: the movement is listed as an IWC (Probus Scafusia, No. 1068651); according to Tölke & King ^{[47, p. 222]} the IWC movement # 1068651 corresponds to a circa 1943 IWC calibre 67, 15 or 16 jewels (auction lists 19 jewels), lepine, 5.5mm height and 18 lignes ≈40mm, bimetallic balance, swan-neck regulator and small-seconds so the IWC calibre 67 seems to match the auction description. Sans more information the No. 10 the watch is being assigned to the Engel-Breguet Type Concours Observatoire category.

Thomas Engel No. 10 was also featured in the Ineichen Zürich XXII sale (1977)…

Pictured with Thomas Engel No. 10 in the Ineichen Zürich sale are Breguet Nos. 3519 (lot 181) and 2835, quarter-repeater moonphase (lot 183). Thomas Engel purchased No. 3519 in 1965 and the watch was exhibited in 1976 attributed to Thomas Engel and in 2001 the watch was still in Engel's possession: did Breguet No. 3519 not sell, withdrawn from sale? Breguet Nos. 2835: could No. 2835 have belonged to Thomas Engel given the watch is pictured with two other watches owned by Thomas Engel? The lot in between Nos. 3519 & 2835 was Breguet No. 115 (dial with small rosette): No. 115 was later to be sold (lot 72) as part of the Antiquorum 2001 Michael Sandberg sale.

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Manfred Rössler mentions in Klassik Uhren ^{[04, pg. 32 & 34]} two Engel-Breguet watches that appeared in the Antiquorum Geneva, October 1983 sale, namely Concours Observatoire No. 4 (1979) and Tourbillon No. 1 (1980) (respectively lots 179 & 180). The 1983 Antiquorum catalog seems as elusive as Kilgore Trout's «Gospel from Outer Space» as the author searched a mari usque ad mare to no avail thus the Klassik Uhren pictures are reproduced. The Concours Observatoire No. 4 is recognizable by two features if not unique themselves then in tandem compared to the other Concours Observatoire watches…...

Tourbillon No. 1 (picture reproduced from the Klassik Uhren article) is not to be confused with Tourbillon No. 1 (Benoît) donated to Musée lnternatlonal d'horlogerie—according to Rössler the watch has two case-backs: boden austauschbar: 1 boden guillochiert and 1 boden mit blauer email-arbeit.

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Interlude
l'énigme secondes d'un coup

The author has used the little grey cells to no avail: the Breguet watch Thomas Engel describes remains a puzzle to the author…

★ n.b. Tina Millar was the head of Clocks and Watches, Sotheby's London and recipient of the 2006 Worshipful Clockmakers Company Master's Medal for “outstanding service to the Company over many years as a Trustee and as Editor of 'The Clockmaker' newsletter”. Cecil Clutton and George Daniels in the perennial referenced book «Watches» acknowledge a special appreciation to Miss Tina Millar.

Thomas Engel describes the Breguet as: gold with a gold dial and a secondes d'un coup (sudden seconds)—the most similar Breguet watch the author could find fitting Thomas Engel's description is Breguet No. 121, circa 1806, minute-repeater, secondes d'un coup with gold engine-turned dial ^{[06, pg. 160]} but just a wild, uneducated guess. Breguet's secondes d'un coup mechanism is explained by George Daniels in «The Art of Breguet» page 350, illustrations 424a–b.

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Thomas Engel Benoît Tourbillon No. 1

Thomas Engel-Breguet Benoît-Tourbillon No. 1: the first of two Benoît tourbillons (No. 2 Benoît see Chronométrophilia ^{[26, pg. 29]}), No. 1 Benoît was donated to the MIH (Musée lnternational d'horlogerie, La-Chaux-de-Fords) in 1981. Pictures of the No. 1 Benoît courtesy of the Musée lnternational d'horlogerie; the watch is described in «Le tourbillon, prouesse technique des horlogers» in Chronométrophilia…

Picture credit: Thomas Engel No. 1 Collection du Musée International d'Horlogerie La Chaux-de-Fonds, Suisse. © Photo MIH

The Musée lnternational d'horlogerie was kind enough to send the author No. 1 Benoît certificate No. 21 dated April 14, 1981 with a handwritten description of the watch by Thomas Engel…

The May, 1981 L'Impartial (La Chaux-de-Fonds newspaper) had an announcement of the Thomas Engel donation.…

Thomas Engel recounts in an 1980 Alte Uhren article ^{[23, pg. 151]} a discussion with Alfred Helwig (1886–1974) regarding Helwig's flying-tourbillon and the Benoît tourbillon…

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Interlude
Breguet No. 47 “The Lord Spencer”

Den Kauf dieser “Breguet-Churchill” habe ich nie bereut.Thomas Engel

Thomas Engel relates the purchase of a Breguet perpétuelle (hands were so fine as if they were spider threads according to TE) from Edgar Mannheimer in «Thomas Engel, Ein moderner Thomas Edison, Die Biografie»—the author cautiously makes the assumption the watch is Breguet No. 47 which appears in «Watchmaker to Kings» and is described as: “The Lord Spencer”, perpétuelle, minute repeater, anchor-escapement, gold case, jumping hour, white enamel dial, up-down, (Sir Winston S. Churchill).

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Thomas Engel & L'Oeuvre d' A.-L. Breguet 1976

The 1976 Musée International d'Horlogerie exhibition: L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet included ≈ dozen Breguet watches including a carriage clock noted as “Collection Thomas Engel”. Here are three watches from the exhibit appearing neither in «Watchmaker to Kings» nor in the 2001 Antiquorum Thomas Engel sale: Breguet No. 4238, circa 1826 (David Salomons' collection), Breguet No. 986 (montre simple à souscription) & Breguet No. 1687 (quarter repeating à toc).

The Musée International d'Horlogerie booklet has an introduction by George Daniels and a brief preface by Thomas Engel entitled: “Betrachtungen zum Werk von A.-L. Breguet” and the booklet concludes…

Thomas Engel's Breguet No. 2914 featured in the Musée International d'Horlogerie exhibition: sold 1819 to Lord Whitworth (1752–1825) for 2,700 Francs; Lord Whitworth (former British Ambassador at Paris and per Napolean a fort bel homme) visited Paris and Louis XVIII in 1819 which may have been the occurance of the purchase of Breguet 2914. Thomas Engel's Breguet No. 3519 called “The Davidoff” in «Watchmaker to Kings» and watch No. 35 in David Salomons' collection.

★ n.b. The Musée International d'Horlogerie booklet does not have pictures of the watches: No. 4238 is from «Breguet 1747–1823» ^[09] and Nos. 986, 1687, 2914 & 3519 are from «The Art of Breguet» ^[06].

Three Thomas Engel watches in the 1976 Musée International d'Horlogerie exhibition for which the author is unable to locate pictures of the watches…

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Interlude
A Clock stopped

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Thomas Engel & Breguet Thermometer Watches

Thomas Engel thermometer watches: in 1785 Breguet applied a bimetallic thermometer to a watch (the bimetallic strip though used for regulation is credited to John Harrison, refer to Gould ^{[50, pg. 48]}); the reader will notice most of the Thomas Engel-Breguet Concours Observatoire watches feature a thermometer as do many of the tourbillons: Thomas Engel seemingly had an affinity for the thermometer but not suprising…

Two examples of Breguet watches with temperature display: Breguet No. 1806 and No. 1860 (reads Froid–Chaud). Thomas Engel's temperature displays were either sektoranzeige eines bimetall-thermometer (sector display on the dial) or auf der uhr-ruckseite angeordnet (on the back of the watch) as shown in Thomas Engel Tourbillon No. 28 and displayed a temperature range of 5°–30° C (41°–86° F). George Daniels used a temperature display in ≈5 watches including the Beyer, the Nall-Cain and the Grand Complication (display within the sub-seconds)—Thomas Engel includes the thermometer as a rote feature so-to-speak: maybe as the scientist or l'art pour l'art. One-third of the Zenith-Thomas Engel Collection watches featured a temperature display (pictured next to the Daniels' Grand Complication, temperature display at 9 o'clock).

Breguet No. 4518 with thermometer, enamel dial, Roman numerals, circa 1828, sold to Daniel Doumerc: the sub-seconds overlapping the thermometer «Breguet-Watchmakers since 1775» ^{[35, pg. 289]}. Daniel Doumerc was an English (London) friend of Breguet's: Breguet No. 2999, quarter-repeating watch was sold to Daniel Doumerc in 1817 (Antiquorum, April,1994, lot 189).

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Interlude
To Danny from Modesty

Modesty hesitated, then stood up. ‘All right, I won't be a moment.’ Modesty returned and put something in Sir Gerald Tarrant's hand [a slim Breguet watch]. He stared down at the splendidly proportioned timepiece with pleasure. ‘A Breguet surely? My dear, it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.’ ‘I gave it to a man a long time ago.’ She smiled briefly. ‘This same watch. A sort of farewell present…’ Sir Gerald flicked the thin gold disc open and read the inscription: To Danny from Modesty.

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Thomas Engel: Breguet & the Dr. Halpern Affair

For the full-story of the Halpern Affair please see «Thomas Engel, Ein moderner Thomas Edison, Die Biografie» ^{[02, pg. 183–147]}; the story is also recounted in «Watchmaker to Kings».

To make a long story short (apocryphal or not): Thomas Engel travels to New York City to purchase ≈dozen Breguet watches from Dr. Mark Halpern; the arrangement between the gentlemen was fait accompli or so thought Thomas Engel: after Cognac and at the 11^th hour the good doctor reneges on the deal…the watches are like children to him and his wife…

Seth Atwood (1917–2010, American industrialist and collector) proposes a gentleman agreement: Atwood himself will negotiate the purchase of the Halpern Breguets and Thomas Engel & Seth Atwood will divide the watches between themselves with Edgar Mannheimer traveling to New York to serve as arbitrator—the toss of a coin will determine who will have first choice of watch…

The gentleman agreement completed Seth Atwood returns to Chicago with his Breguets and Edgar Mannheimer returns to Europe with Thomas Engel's Breguets. Seth Atwood's Breguets find a home in The Time Museum and ultimately are auctioned by Sotheby's in 1999 and 2004. Breguet No. 3862 (astronomical watch) and Breguet No. 2627 (montre à tact) formerly belonging to Dr. Halpern were included in the Sotheby sales, respectively lot 21 (1999) and lot 578 (2004).

★ n.b. Breguet No. 2783 «The Time Museum An Introduction ^{[63, pg. 21]} minute-repeating, self-winding with thermometer and winding-state belonging to Seth Atwood—the watch may have come from Dr. Halpern but not explictly noted as such. Curiously: Breguet No. 2783 appears in a 2014 Christie's auction (lot 293) but with a different dial.

Thomas Engel wonders what Dr. Halpern would think of the Sotheby's auction result of the astronomical watch Breguet No. 3862…

Which Breguets from the Dr. Halpern collection did Edgar Mannheimer bring back to Frankfurt? Thomas Engel does not provide descriptions of the watches and mentions the watches were formerly unknown to himself as the timepieces were neither from the David Salomons collection nor appeared in any recent auctions…

…the author resigns himself to the mystery.

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Interlude
Space is the place—Sun Ra

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Thomas Engel & Breguet Ottoman Cabriolets

Three Breguet Ottoman-market watches featured in Thomas Engel's «Watchmaker to Kings»: Breguet No. 2961 “The Inconnu”: quarter repeater on gongs, double enamel case and enamel Turkish dial, flowers by “Seguin”, Breguet No. 2077 “The king of Spain”, circa 1808 (TE Collection), sonnerie-minute-repeater and Breguet No. 2810 “The Leroy”, circa 1814, quarter repeater. Breguet's Ottoman watches are typically: cabriolet-cased, white, enameled Turkish dials with radient, enameled cases, often Turkish red. Eight of the thirty-three Breguets displayed in «Watchmaker to Kings» are Ottoman watches so it may be guessed Thomas Engel had an appreciation for the “Ottoman” Breguets and their scarlet brilliance…

Thomas Engel's Breguet No. 1320 “The Leroy Constantinople” circa 1804, dumb (à toc) quarter repeating watch, case by Tavernier, dial by Borel: uncased as shown in «Watchmaker to Kings» and cased as shown in the Antiquorum Thomas Engel sale (lot 318). French watchmaker Leroy was Breguet's representative in Constantinople. The watch was sold to Esseid Ali Effendi on the behalf of Beykan Sultan. Breguet No. 1320 was included in the 2010 exhibit «Breguet ve Osmanli İmparatorluğu» at the Topkapi Palace Museum in Instanbul ^{[18, pg. 23]}.

A non-Breguet Ottoman watch owned by Thomas Engel: Markwick Markham quarter-repeating watch (Markwick Markham & Perigal were watchmakers specialising in exporting watches to the Ottoman Empire). To meet the demand for the “Turkish-style” watches less expensive watches were made under the name Le Roy élève de Breguet: pictured below is an example from the David Salomons Collection at the Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem.

Two “Turkish” watches belonging to the Hans Wilsdorf collection…

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Interlude
Magical Thinking

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Thomas Engel, Theodor Beyer & Breguet No. 455

Thomas Engel recounts in «Watchmaker to Kings» Engel's first Breguet purchase (circa 1964) from Edgar Mannheimer…

The watch purchased from Edgar Mannheimer was Breguet No. 455; the watch appeared in the 1976 Musée International d'Horlogerie: L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet (Vitrine 13, No. 6); picture from «The Art of Breguet» ^{[06, figure 136]}.

According to Uhrenmuseum Beyer archives Breguet No. 455 was sold to Edgar Mannheimer by Theodor René Beyer (1926–2002) and re-sold to Thomas Engel soon after. In a March, 1989 Neue Zürich Zeitung article Theodor Beyer tells of his regret in selling such a rare Breguet with a verge movement: “I would pay any price if I could buy it back”—in the 1980s Theodor Beyer purchased a similar Breguet with verge movement: Breguet No. 898 which hopefully assuaged the regret…

Picture credit: Pocket Watch No 898, Breguet Etablissement mixte, c 1802, Paris. Foto: Dominique Cohas, Paris © Zurich Beyer Clock and Watch Museum

Thomas Engel upon reading the Neue Zürich Zeitung article relates in «Watchmaker to Kings»…

The Paris auction mentioned in the Neue Zürich Zeitung article must have been the June, 1988 Hervé Chayette-Laurence Calmels, Horolgerie de collection sale…

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Interlude
Time is the only real critic—Francis Bacon

★ n.b. The collage of Breguet watches from the Time Museum (Seth Atwood) appeared on the cover of the May, 1985 Smithsonian Magazine.

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Alfred Helwig's 1927 Flying Tourbillon

Thomas Engel relates in his autobiography the re-discovery of among the greatest German tourbillons ever made, Alfred Helwig's tour de force 1927 (No. 17) Flying Tourbillon which its creater had thought was lost to the winds of war…

Thomas Engel after the serendipitous rather miraculous unearthing of a horological diamond writes to Alfred Helwig in Glashütte (then the East Zone of the GDR) announcing the discovery of the No. 17 tourbillon; Helwig delighted replies: “Es ist schon zu wissen, dass mein Tourbillon in guten Handen ist.” Thomas Engel upon visting (the now 80-year-old) Helwig and showing him his own magnum opus retells…

★ n.b. Please see Thomas Engel's autobiography pages 200–202 and «Watchmaker to Kings» page 200 for the full story of Thomas Engel's purchase of the Helwig 1927 tourbillon. The No. 17 tourbillion was sold for CHF 828,500 in 2001 as lot 334 of the Antiquorum Thomas Engel sale.

Alfred Helwig's No. 17 flying-tourbillon was made for Professor Ernst von Bassermann-Jordan (1879–1932) in 1927, a one-minute tourbillon and the first-prize winner of the 1932-33 Deutschen Seewarte Timing Contest. Alfred Helwig reminisces about the 1927 tourbillon…

★ n.b. Ernst von Bassermann-Jordan (1879–1932) was a German art historian, watch collector and horological author—The History of the Wheel-Clock, 1905, The history of time measurement and clocks, 1920 and The Clock of Philip the Good of Burgundy, 1927. Bassermann-Jordan's extensive collection of clocks was bequeathed to the Bavarian National Museum.

The Girl Book Next Door: Thomas Engel relates in «Watchmaker to Kings» a seemingly futile search for Alfred Helwig's 1927 book «Drehganguhren (tourbillons und karusselluhren)»…

★ n.b. Breguetsches Tourbillon mit dem Drehgestell auf dem Zwischenrade: in the book Alfred Helwig describes in detail Breguet No. 2514 (silver dial, 76mm, 6-minute tourbillon, on the dial: Regulateur a Tourbillon & Breguet et. Fils, inside the watch: Breguet Horloger de la Marine Royale, Paris No. 2514, the back-cover is engraved with an equation of time table).

★ n.b. The author assumes the Apels mentioned by Thomas Engel is Alfred Helwig's student Hans Apel (1905–1958); pictured is Hans Apel's graduation watch made at the Deutsche Uhrmacherschule Glashuette, circa 1925: silver case, enamel dial, 3⁄4 plate frosted gilt movement (Dr. Crott Auctioneers sale # 85 lot 41). Hans Apel's 1926 (Special No. 9) one-minute tourbillon No. 3374 (B&W image) is one of the stars of the Clock and Watch Museum Beyer in Zurich (Apel's No. 9 is featured in Reinhard Meis' «Pocket Watches from the Pendant Watch to the Tourbillon» ^{[53, pg. 309]}).

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Interlude
It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.—Macbeth

Shakespeare's Macbeth very well could have been referring to the modern watch review though even in Shakespeare's time the “watch review” was a shallow exercise in pomposity and hubris, e.g. snippets of Wyllm Catchpole's unpregnant (in the parlance of his time) account of a clock-watch by Michael Nouwen (1571–1613)…the watch now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Wyllm Catchpole resides in the ground.

Twenty score years after Shakespeare the “modern” watch review is just as shallow: always superficial, often supercilious, laden with Proustian puffery, flowing from haughty, third-tier Ruskins starving their soul to stuff their belly—táhněte do hájé.

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Christie's Sir David Salomons Part 3 Sale November, 1965

November, 1965: twenty Breguet watches made up the third part of The Celebrated Collection of Watches by Breguet formed by the late Sir David Salomons—the group of Breguets included eight repeating watches and a tourbillon—with the assistence of Edgar Mannheimer (1925–1993) Thomas Engel purchased all twenty watches as Thomas Engel relates in his autobiography «Thomas Engel, Ein moderner Thomas Edison, Die Biografie» (pages 113–114)…

From the Part III sale: Breguet No. 3012 (Salomons collection No. 21), circa 1818 monte à ancre, Breguet No. 119 (Salomons collection No. 7), circa 1798 montre à répétition, Breguet No. 3624 (Salomons collection No. 63), circa 1821 montre à souscription and Breguet No. 2568, circa 1818 tourbillon (n.b. David Salomons purchased No. 2568 in 1923 thus the watch does not appear in Salomons' book Breguet 1747–1823 but the watch does appear in the 1923 Centenaire de A.-L. Breguet exhibition under the Salomons collection ^{[07, pg. 28]}).

★ n.b. Edgar Mannheimer played an oversized role in Thomas Engel's Breguet pursuits, facilitating the acquisition of many fine watches for the collector: born 1925 in Neutitschein, Moravia Edgar Mannheimer was a larger-than-life (literally and figuretivly as the author has been told) antique dealer specializing in watches and clocks and by all accounts a warm person (despite war's tribulations) and trusted friend (despite humanity's betrayal)—Thomas Engel fondly recalls 3–4 anecdotes of their Breguet adventures in his autobiography «Ein moderner Thomas Edison, Die Biografie».

The author can only see in the mind's eye the gems that must have passed through the hands of Edgar Mannheimer…for example Breguet No. 60 Edgar Mannheimer purchased at the Sotheby's 1978 Edward Hornby Collection sale for £57,000 and most likely then sold to German businessman Erivan Haub (1932-2018).

Two minute-repeaters from the Christie's Part III sale: Breguet No. 2934, circa 1817, half-quarter repeater with jump-hours and Breguet No. 2183, circa 1810, quarter repeater with jump-hours.

According to Thomas Engel's autobiography Thomas Engel purchased with the assistance of Edgar Mannheimer one Breguet each from the Christie's Part I (December, 1964) and Part II (June, 1965) sales—the Breguet purchased from the Part I sale is unknown to the author and the author is only guessing the Breguet from Part II may have been Breguet No. 4238 (lot # 38) since the watch was in the Thomas Engel collection in 1976 ^{[13, pg. 29]}.

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Interlude
It's About Time

Major Paul Mellon Chamberlain's (1865–1940) book «It's About Time» is simply one of the most well-regarded horological books of the 20^th century authored by one of the most learned watch collectors of any century—though the book can be technical the language is congenial even to a novice like the present author. Paul Chamberlain's Breguet ² ⁄ ₉₄ circa 1793, quarter-hour repeater (presumably Chamberlain's 2^nd watch collection) whose movement is detailed in the book…

★ n.b. Paul Chamberlain assembled two major watch collections in his lifetime of which a selection of the earlier collection (200+ timepieces) was presented in the 1921 publication: Watches-The Paul M. Chamberlain Collection at the Art Institute of Chicago; the collection featured watches by: Thomas Mudge, John Arnold, Thomas Tompion & George Graham. Aside from three “false Breguets” and a recased Breguet there is one “original” Breguet listed, plated and described in a depth often lacking by collectors in describing their watches…

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Thomas Engel & Breguet Pendule de Voyage

Breguet No. 179, certificate no. 2889, eight-day, carriage clock circa 1796, sold 1804 to Ferdinand IV of Naples. The 1976 L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet exhibit attributes the clock to the collection of Thomas Engel. Charles Allix (1921–2015) says of Breguet No. 179 in «Carriage Clocks: Their History and Development» ^{[57, pg. 37–41]}: All evidence points to the fact that No. 179 is the earliest known Breguet pendule de voyage in its original state.

★ n.b. Breguet No. 179 was included in a set of eight Breguet carriage clocks in the Bonhams, London December, 2019 Fine Clocks sale: pictured are Breguet Nos. 2963 (sold Madame la Marquise de Downshire 1821), 2898 (sold M. Gerugross 1816), 2516 (sold Baron de Blome 1811) & 4768 (sold Princess Bagration 1837)…

★ n.b. Breguet No. 179 is similar to Breguet No. 178 sold to Napolean Bonaparte in 1798; Breguet No. 178 is in the collection of Musée National Suisse (Château de Prangins) and featured in the Sigrid Pallmert's «Breguet-ein Schweizer in Paris = Breguet-un Suisse à Paris» ^{[17, pg. 12–18]}.

★ n.b. There exists another Breguet No. 179 which resides in the David Salomons Collection at the Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem, the watch is documented in the George Daniels & Ohames Markarian book ^{[11, pg. 45]} and described by David Salomons in «Breguet 1747–1823»…

Thomas Engel No. 001 carriage clock with perpetual calendar, moon-phases and equation of time, circa 1980. The case is an original Breguet gilt, tooled green Morocco leather travelling case that serendipitously accommodates the clock to a T.

Similarly-styled carriage clock hand-drawn by A.-L. Breguet («Breguet-Watchmakers since 1775» ^{[36, pg. 159]).}

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Interlude
Musée Galliera Centenaire de A.L. Breguet 1747–1823
Exposition de son œuvre d'horlogerie et de chronométrie

The centenary of the death of A.-L. Breguet was celebrated October–November 1923 with a major exhibition of Breguet's œuvre held at the Musée Galliera in Paris—buttressed by Sir David Salomons contribution of ≈100 watches the exhibition included ≈260 Breguet timepieces including Breguet No. 160 “Marie Antoinette” & Breguet No. 92 “Duc de Praslin” from the David Salomons collection. Thomas Engel's Breguet No. 2292 montre à tact was included in the 1923 exhibition ^{[07, pg. 19]}, one of the very few watches pictured in the Musée Galliera catalogue.

★ n.b. A score and ten references related to the Breguet Centenaire can be found in the bibliography of «L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet: Catalogue de l'exposition. Musée International d'Horlogerie» ^[13] notably: «Centenaire de A.-L. Breguet. Congress National de Chronometrie» and «Compte-rendu des manifestations du centenaire d'A.-L. Breguet».

A handful of watches from the Musée Galliera centenaire exposition: Breguet No. 2664 garde-temps, circa 1816 (exhibit # 17), Breguet No. 4215 souscription, circa 1826 (exhibit # 9), Breguet No. 24 quarter-repeater, jump-hour, circa 1798 (exhibit # 245), Breguet No. 2489 grande et petite sonnerie, circa 1820 (exhibit # 16) and Breguet No. 1615 perpétuelle, repeater, circa 1815 (exhibit # 108, one of only a score of watches pictured in the Musée Galliera catalogue and lent to the exhibition by Baron de Rothschild).

Breguet No. 3552 (exhibit # 214 but not pictured), listed as: Petite répétition d'or plate, à 1/2 quarts, équation du temps, calendrier, double boîte savonnette en or. Vendue au Marquis d'Hertfort, le 26 septembre 1825. Fr. 9.000; lent to the exposition by A.-M. Scott Esq.—watch picture from «A. L. Breguet, Horologer» ^{[20, pg. 22]}. Breguet No. 3907 (exhibit # 24 but not pictured), listed as: Souscription en argent, échappement à cylindre de rubis; lent to the exposition by Henry Brown (Breguet helmsman from 1912 to 1927)—watch picture from the collection of Jean-Claude Sabrier (Chayette & Cheval, May 2015).

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George Daniels: Thomas Engel Tourbillon

George Daniels (1926–2011) tourbillon “made for(?)” Thomas Engel (sold to 1974). The watch is No. 7 of Daniels' early series of eight tourbillons circa 1969–1973, of the eight watches only No. 7 has a power-reserve indicator making the watch readily recognizable. The watch is described and entitled “The Engel” in Michael Clerizo's book ^{[48, pg. 70]}. Here is the auction description from Antiquorum…

From the Michael Clerizo book ^{[48, pg. 121]} “Engel infuriated Daniels by engraving on the case band: ‘Made by George Daniels for Thomas Engel in mutual esteem of A.L. Breguet’.” Decades later [Daniels still roiled] with resentment at Thomas Engel's faux pa…

George Daniels' pique regarding the “defacing” of the timepiece may have matched Picasso's ire when in 1939 after giving Matisse a copy of the etching The Minotaur's Repose Matisse penciled on the print: Made by Picasso for Matisse in mutual esteem for the Minotaur—upon discovering Matisse's graffiti Picasso reportedly exclaimed Que te folle un pez.

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Interlude
Stradivarius

Antonio Stradivarius “The Lyall” & Breguet “The Orloff” (photo: Watchmaker to Kings ^{[01, pg. 7]}), Antonio Stradivarius “Francesca” & Breguet “The Castellane” and Antonio Stradivarius “Gould” & Breguet “The Davidoff” (all watches featured Thomas Engel's «Watchmaker to Kings»).

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Sir David Salomons Breguet 1747–1823

The book that ensnared Thomas Engel needless to note is Sir David Salomons «Breguet 1747–1823»—a recitation of Breguet's life and a recital of Salomons' collection of ≈100 Breguet timepieces. Rupert T. Gould says in «The Marine Chronometer» “Those wishing to learn more about [Breguet]…should consult Sir David Salomons' beautiful monograph…” ^{[50, pg. 128]}…self-published 1921 (1923 French) in two volumes (proper & supplement) in a limited edition of 1,000 copies: proper volume ≈240 pages and the supplement ≈50 pages (pagination from author's copy), all watches displayed true to size.

A gem of the collection Breguet No. 92 “Duc de Praslin” two-sided watch (gift to Musée des Arts et Métiers & described «A.-L. Breguet pendant la révolution» ^{[08, pg. 97–99]}) and Breguet No. 3872 quarter-repeating watch, circa 1825, property of Sir David Salomons, property of Thomas Engel & featured in Daniels' «Art of Breguet» ^{[06, pg. 261]}. The Salomons' Breguet collection was eventually halved: ≈half donated to the L.A. Mayer Institute for Islamic Art (Jerusalem) and the remainder sold by Christie's 1964–1965 ^[10] (3-part sale catalog of 60 Breguet timepieces). Breguet No. 3872 was lot 59 in the Christie's sale.

★ n.b. Breguet No. 92 “Duc de Praslin” was featured in the 2004 exhibition “Breguet in the Hermitage” courtesy Musée des Arts et Métiers ^{[12, pg. 150–152]}.

★ n.b. In October, 2020 three David Salomons Breguet watches from the Museum for Islamic Art in Jerusalem were scheduled to be deaccessioned and sold by Sotheby's, namely No. 20-148, No. 2788 and No. 1806; each of the watches are pictured with their page from the Salomons book, respectively No. 6, No. 16 and No. 3 as numbered in Salomons' collection—at the 11^th hour the sale was halted; at the date of this article the fate of the watches is unclear to the author.

The author's copy of the Salomons Breguet book is the 1921 edition with separate supplement in now faded, baby-blue wraps. Pictured are the book's celebrities: from the supplement “Marie Antoinette” No. 160 (Supplement No. 103 and collection No. 56) & No. 92 “Duc de Praslin” (collection No. 57). Much to the chagrin of many but not to the author a previous owner (or their child) drew pictures of clocks in the supplement.

A person can lament the Salomons book and the Christie's sale catalog only having black & white pictures of the Breguets but as a fan of Rembrandt and Henry Moore prints the author finds the B&W pictures charming; the books are not about color-field-abstraction and many of the modern, glossy books are overwrought and of ephemeral regard.

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Interlude
Auguste Rodin vs. Jeff Koons

Lifetime Breguet and contemporary corporate horology: A.-L. Breguets speak for themselves whereas modern horology employs a fifth-column of truth-shy myth-makers: ballyhoo Balzacs championing the middling and meaningless with rosy prose fit for a horological hagiography to satiate the watch-hungry philistines unable to discern a petite-madeleine from a dog-biscuit and to slake the thirst for horological mediocrity with Champale that the mob laps up like Champagne…horology reached its meridian ten-score years ago—apart from the recherché refuge of beauty & brillance it seems unlikely the Breguet belle epoque will be repeated much less eclipsed by any watch brand, even its namesake.

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Thomas Engel Collection Part 1

Thomas Engel attained the horological triumvirate: horological author, watchmaker and collector of timepieces—such a collection is seldom mustered—the items listed in the “Collection Part I” included 17 Breguet timepieces, ≈70 sundry Breguet-related documents & sketches, three Albert Potter pocket-watches, eleven marine chronometers etc. Prefacing the catalog is an essay by Thomas Engel entitled “Warum Tasschenuhren?”

★ n.b. Originally Thomas Engel wished to build a “Zeitmuseum” to house his watch collection in Heusenstamm, Germany but the project failed due to a property-rights issue adjacent to the proposed site of the museum of which the details can be read in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung article (October 2000) “The clock has run out for the 'Museum of Time'”—Thomas Engel in the preface of the Antiquorum sale catalog laments the unrealized museum, resigning: “So endete das 'Engel Zeitmuseum'…Ich wollte nichts mehr damit zu tun haben! Ich wollte die Sammlung loswerden.”—and thus the sale at hand.

Albert Pellaton-Favre [1834–1914], Le Locle, No. 3171, circa 1900. Exceptionally fine and important 18K gold, keyless, one-minute tourbillon regulator pocket chronometer with special escapement (lot 261). Also pictured is lot 262: Jämes-César Pellaton (1873–1954) one-minute tourbillon Le Locle, No. 1963, Premier Prix Observatoire de Neuchatel 1933; the watch is described in Das Tourbillon ^{[40, pg. 170–171]}.

Thomas Tompion (1637–1713) No. 3743, circa 1705, fusee and chain, verge escapement (lot 271) and Thomas Tompion & George Graham (1673–1751) No. 4538, circa 1705, fusee and chain, verge escapement (lot 272)—both watches are listed in the book «Thomas Tompion 300 years: a celebration of the life and work of Thomas Tompion»—a magisterial tome about the exalted English clockmaker.

Here are six Breguet (1747–1823) timepieces from the Thomas Engel collection: No. 257 (lot 310), No. 164 (lot 312), No. 873 (lot 320), No. 2 (lot 323), No. 3356 (lot 326) and No. 2972 (lot 321)…the Trojan War was started for less.

Two chefs d'œuvre of Albert Henry Potter (1836–1908), one of the greatest American (Swiss 1875–) watchmakers. Please see Paul Chamberlain's «It's About Time» for a biographical sketch of Albert Potter ^{[44, pg. 444–450]}.

Arnold, Frodsham and Dent: three storied horological names. The reader will be rewarded to beg, borrow or buy the Vaudrey Mercer books: «John Arnold and Son: chronometer makers», «The Frodshams: the story of a family of chronometer makers» and «The life and letters of Edward John Dent, chronometer maker»—further recommended Hans Staeger's (1928–2007) book «100 Years of Precision Timekeepers from John Arnold to Arnold & Frodsham, 1763–1862»—F. Mueller-Maerki ^† says: “Hans Staeger's book on Arnold is the most thorough book ever written on that subject.”

† F. Mueller-Maerki: horological scholar, founder of Bibliographia Horologiae Mundi and eponym of the NAWCC Fortunat Mueller-Maerki Library & Research Center.

What happend to Part II of the sale? The author's understanding is the watches scheduled for “Part II” were sold in private treaty rendering a further auction moot. The author has been unable to determine a listing of Thomas Engel's Breguets that were slated for “Part II” of the Antiquorum sale thus following-up on the “Part II” watches is difficult—four Breguets from Part I (Nos. 2292, 3519, 3872 & 4284) reside in the collection Montres Breguet S.A. thus the author's guess is the Breguet Museum may have aquired the “Part II” Breguets.

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Interlude
la Montre—Apollinaire

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A.-L. Breguet Literature

A.-L. Breguet may be the Abraham Lincoln and Napoleon of horology regarding the sheer amount of literature associated with the watchmaker—the number of Breguet books, articles, auctions etc. is fanciful-infinity given Breguet's fecund imagination and the kaleidoscope of Breguet's corps de travail. It would be folly to entertain even a half-hearted list of Breguet literature but pictured are some of the books etc. the author availed himself of from the author's wee library for the making of the article. It's the notion of the dilettante author that the “holy trinity” of Breguet literature is: David Salomons «Breguet 1747–1823», George Daniels «The Art of Breguet» and Thomas Engel's «Watchmaker to Kings»—the books pictured below can be found in Appendix III.

The author tends to eschew lifetime ownership of the larger “coffee table” books due to space limitations but the books pictured are available from the NAWCC Lending Library for the ascetic or budget-minded—the books are well-worth a peep if not a perusal…«Watchmaker to Kings» appears in each book's bibliography (≠ the Patrizzi book) and Thomas Engel appears upon a close reading in the acknowledgement section of Emmanuel Breguet's «Breguet-Watchmakers since 1775».

The author recommends a couple nice Breguet resources: «Breguet chez Chayette» ^[14] and «Exhibition of antique & vintage Breguet watches, Beyer Museum» ^[19]…

Books about individual collections offer a cherished—and passionate—perspective on Breguet watches and their owners often lacking in the “coffee table” books…the reader is most welcome to seek out such books for example the collections of Gerd Ahrens (1920–2005), Cecil Clutton (1909–1990) and Courtenay Ilbert (1888–1956). Breguet timepieces included in the aforementioned collections include: Gerd Ahrens' Breguet No. 1919 «Die taschenuhrensammlung von Gerd Ahrens» (page 376), Cecil Clutton's Breguet No. 15 «Collector's Collection» (page 58) and Courtenay Ilbert's Breguet No. 46 «Catalogue of Watches in the British Museum Volume VI» (page 135) [the book is a de facto catalog of Ilbert's watch collection as 90% of the book's entries belonged to Courtenay Ilbert].

★ n.b. Please see two articles in the Antiquarian Horology Journal by Paul Buck on Courtenay Ilbert's life and watch collection: «Courtenay Adrian Ilbert, Horological Collector» Part I & II ^[67].

For an ad hoc treatment of Breguet's Perpétuelles please see Jean-Claude Sabrier's book «The Self-Winding Watch» ^{[70, pg. 65–115]}—the book contains a lengthy section on Breguet's self-winding watches and includes ≈20 Breguet Perpétuelles timepieces: Nos. 1-8/82, 3-4/86, 5, 9, 15, 19, 26, 28, 30/3997, 148, 157, 160, 217, 630, 1670, 4220, 4548 and 5050. Also see Chapter IV of the Chapuis & Jaguet book «The History of the Self-winding Watch» which has an extended discussion of Breguet's Perpétuelles ^{[69, pg. 69—130]}.

Georges Rigot's monograph «Montres de souscription et à tact de Breguet» is a cornucopoia of Breguet montre souscription and montre à tact watches—illustrated are ≈50 souscription watches and ≈23 montre à watches. The book is en hommage à Jean-Claude Sabrier (☨ 2014)—in the book's foreword the author [Rigot] thanks his friend [Sabrier] humaniste-historien-expert mondialement connu for entrée to the fellowship of renowned horologists (including Herr Engel)…

Georges Rigot recounts in the book his first Breguet purchased 1974: …je découvris le génie mécanique et les créations intemporelles d'Abraham-Louis Breguet, par l'acquisition de ma première montre souscription, le No. 1586. Breguet No. 1586 (pictured far-right), circa 1804, certificate No. 3430 dated July, 1975; the watch does not appear in Rigot's book—the watch is featured in Adolphe Chapiro's article Les Montres de Souscription (French Association of Old Watchmaking Amateurs No. 17, Winter, 1977).

The curious and foolhardy reader willing to risk a rabbit-hole is encouraged to explore the Breguet-related bibliographies contained in many of the books referenced by the author—notable is the biblography found in «A.-L. Breguet L'art de mesurer le temps» ^{[15, pg. 46–52]} referencing ≈100 Breguet-related monographs, articles, catalogues, periodicals etc. ranging from 1819–1995.

Adolphe Chapiro's book «La Montre Française du XV1e siècle jusqu'a 1900», a wonderful book in toto, has a wonderful and intricate section (≈50 pages) devoted to Breguet featuring many Breguet watches, including: Breguet Nos. 3/82, 5, 12, 29, 86, 91, 106/4291, 149, 199, 203, 258, 361, 443, 753, 899, 924, 1165, 1536, 1586, 2058, 2174, 2781, 3397, 3738, 4020 and 4351. Note: the book's annexes No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 are dedicated to Breguet.

A monograph regarding Breguet carriage clocks does not exist to the author's knowledge but the often referenced books on the subject are Charles Allix's 1974 «Carriage Clocks: Their History and Development» and Derek Roberts' 1997 «Carriage and Other Traveling Clocks».

★ n.b. The author is an archetypal layman regarding horology so accept with a grain of salt but the author may not be far afield in recommending two of the books mentioned in the article, namely George Daniels' «The Art of Breguet» and Rupert T. Gould's «The Marine Chronometer Its History and Development»—the books can serve as bookends to (if not pillars of) any horological library even if bookending each other so-to-speak by their lonesome. The two books had the following bibliography entries in the oft-cited Cecil Clutton & George Daniels book «Watches» (1979)…

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Interlude
Rolex, Rolex, Rolex

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Epilogue

A.-L. Breguet was nonpareil, a Promethean watchmaker, but fair to say Thomas Engel was sui generis…self-risen from the fatigue of war to the apogee of art and science—science eases the burden of the Sysiphean mortal-coil while art makes the quotidian life bearable—Thomas Engel's benefaction to both science and art stands witness to one man's troth and mankind's promise. If A.-L. Breguet's œuvre is the Beethoven piano sonatas of horology then surely Thomas Engel's opus is Schubert's—both Breguet and Thomas Engel were romantic composers of time.

It is the author's wish that hopefully having a forgiving temper Thomas Engel would not look askance at the author's amateur article whose primordial intent was more-or-less the solitary enjoyment of the author. Hopefully the meandering, medley of a monograph the reader has lumbered, or rather labored through, has sketched, however faintly, a portrait of the horological world of Thomas Engel.

nunc fluens facit tempus,nunc stans facit aeternitatum—boethius

Appreciation to Chayette & Chavel, Ineichen Zürich, Dr. Crott's Auctioneers, Beyer Museum and Musée lnternational d'horlogerie for their kindness to a stranger; regards to the book-sellers: Booksimonin, Jeffrey Formby & Anthony Turner; gratitude to the NAWCC Library & staff and thank you to the Sex Pistols and Rémy Martin Accord Royal for moral support.

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Appendices

Appendix I Thomas Engel Breguets

Breguet watches “identified” by the author as once belonging to Thomas Engel—certainly the list is incomplete.

¶¶ refer to TE autobiography page 203 and «Watchmaker to Kings» page 88.
† refer to TE autobiography, the watch appears in an image for Das Engel Zeitmuseum suggesting No. 65/722 was owned by TE.
‡ refer to TE autobiography pages 62–64 and «Watchmaker to Kings» page 198; the two anecdotes suggest Breguet No. 2077 was owned by TE.
†† refer to TE autobiography page 81 and «Watchmaker to Kings» page 98; the appearance in both sources suggest No. 3167 was owned by TE.
¶ the watch appeared in the 2001 Antiquorum Thomas Engel Collection Part I Sale.
∀ the watch appeared in the 1976 Musée International d'Horlogerie 1976 L'Oeuvre d'Abraham-Louis Breguet Exhibition.
★ the watch was included in the Sir David Salomons Collection Christie's Part III sale.
★★ Christoph Allemann Chronometrophilia No. 19.

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Appendix II Thomas Engel-Breguet Timepieces Auction Reference

Trust but Verify—below is an attempt to reference at least one auction appearance of the Engel-Breguet watches mentioned in the article. It is recommended to check any particular watch/auction versus taking the author's research at face-value.

✓ = auction reference, ✗ =unable to find an auction reference or the watch never appeared in an auction.

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Appendix III Reference Materials & Recommended Reading

The references listed below were consulted by the author in the making of the article—references are cited in the article as necessary.

✓ = author's book (at time of the article) / ✗ ≠ author's book / ☆ = NAWCC Lending Library

★ The Vaudrey Mercer trio of books though not necessarily germane to the article are mentioned in the article and therefore listed for reference.

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Vulnerant Omnia Ultima Necat

ratskunk