Breguet Split-Seconds Stopwatch c. 1970 with Period Leather Lanyard

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

Parisian manufacturer Breguet, named after its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, was founded in 1775 and is one of the most stored and historically significant manufacturers in the world of horology. With a number of firsts, including *ahem* what many consider to be the first known wristwatch, Breguet is primarily known today for its stunning silver 'guilloche' dials, innovations in complications, and outstanding build quality. That said, you may have noticed that this isn't a watch. So whats going on? What we have here is a stopwatch dating to circa the 1970s. As you might expect, it is larger than your average watch, coming in at about 58mm in diameter. It features a snapback design finished in black PVD, a matching black PVD bezel, 'pump' pushers at the 10:30 and 1:30 positions, and an oversized 10mm crown at 12 o'clock with a D-ring around it. With optimal legibility in mind, the dial is a high-contrast design with a white base, black and red printing, and a matching black and red handset. On top of being an obscure piece that is not immediately associated with Breguet, this stopwatch has a party piece. The movement inside is not only a chronograph, but also has a split-seconds function operated by the pusher at the 10:30 position. This would have been a highly technical precision instrument, relevant for decades after the era in which it was produced. And with any Breguet prior to roughly the late 1970s - early 1980s being outright rare, one has to wonder who placed an order for this in period.