Breguet Salomons Collection: The Art of Time Book

AndrewD provides a compelling review of "The Art of Time," the L.A. Mayer Museum Salomons Collection catalogue, which chronicles David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons' extraordinary Breguet collection. This article not only highlights the historical significance of pieces like the Marie-Antoinette (No. 160) but also delves into the collection's dramatic theft and miraculous recovery. AndrewD emphasizes George Daniels' insightful introduction within the catalogue, making it a valuable resource for Breguet enthusiasts.

David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons (1851-1925) was a scientist (working in the newly invented area of electromagnetism with electric lamps and electric motors, amongst other things), the first director of the City of London Electric Lighting Company and a Member of the English Parliament.

Salomons collected Breguet watches, including the famous Marie-Antoinette (No. 160) and the Duc de Praslin (No. 92) and amassed a significant collection of 124 examples of Breguet’s best work.

On his death Salomons donated 57 of the best pieces from his collection to the L.A. Mayer Institute for Islamic Art (which was built by his daughter Vera) in Jerusalem.

As is now well known, the collection was stolen in 1983, three years after George Daniels catalogued and published his now famous book, The Art of Breguet (Sotheby’s Publications, 1974). At the time the watches were valued at $6 million, including the Marie Antoinette.

This catalogue is available from the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art in West Jerusalem and is presented in both English and Hebrew. The preface, by the current curator, Rachel Hasson, describes the theft of the collection in 1983 and their miraculous return in 2006. Virtually all the stolen Breguet watches, clocks and music boxes were retreived, including the No. 160. Curiously the thief, Na’aman Dieler, had disassembled some of the watches but had left detailed instructions on how to reassemble them.

A bonus in the catalogue is the 17 page introduction to the collection and the life of A.L. Breguet written in 1979 by the late George Daniels with great passion. The Art of Breguet contains a lot more chronological detail of the Breguet Manufacture, but Daniel’s contribution to this catalogue is an excellent introduction to the world of Breguet.

Daniels provides a brief history of time telling and the development of the mechanical clock and then the pocket watch. He writes about the evolution of watch movement designs and places Breguet’s work into historical context. Daniels has a style that every watch lover will relate to. For example, he describes the verge escapement thus: “These watches are thoroughly bad timekeepers and will outwit the best endeavors to discipline them.”

It is impressive to think that Christian Huygens and Robert Hooke invented the oscillating balance wheel in 1675 and Breguet was building on these designs a century later. He improved timekeeping and developed automatic winding and perpetual calendar complications at a time when the focus was more on design and automata than improving timekeeping. Breguet surrounded himself with the most talented apprentices. There wasn’t an area of watch movement design that he didn’t play with and improve upon.

The watches that Breguet produced in the late 1700’s up to 1815 had automatic winding, twin barrels, temperature compensated balances, parachute suspension (shock protection) and water resistant cases and had a performance better than 10 seconds per day and required servicing every 8 years. Many of the features that we look for in twenty-first century mechanical timepiece were in Breguet’s watches.

The catalogue includes sketches of the different escapement designs: verge, anchor, cylinder, pin wheel, lever and detent with brief descriptions of each that are very useful, along with a general glossary.

There is information and pictures on 21 Breguet watches and clocks with prosaically presented images of dials and movements. The No. 160 as well as the Sympathique, the inking chronograph (invented by Frederick Fatton, one of Breguet’s most talented watchmakers), several repeaters, perpetuals and tourbillons are included.

The catalogue includes watches and clocks as well as music boxes and other pieces of art from the period. If you want to be complete in your collection of Breguet literature, this catalogue is a nice addition.

I have selected a few pages to give you an idea of the catalogue, but you can order them from the museum or, better still, pay them a visit. Note that no photography is allowed inside.