Description: Gilt brass, front wound, movement of ‘souscription’ type (54.5mm diameter). The movement resembles very much the first intermediate version of Breguet’s subscription movements. It would have had a three armed balance maybe with temperature compensation and, most probably, double virgule escapement or ruby cylinder escapement which are now lacking.
Provenance: Ex private collection Jean – Claude Sabrier (F)
Additional Info:
This example is a rare survivor of the production by Joseph Oudin. As one of very few apprentices of Breguet he was allowed to use one of Breguets movement designs (first intermediate version). A very similar souscription watch was made by Charles Oudin, Joseph’s cousin. Latter movement is signed ‘Charles Oudin, Palais Royal No. 65’, bearing a rare double virgule escapement. The only almost identical souscription movement made by Breguet’s workshop known to us, would be the one shown in the picture. Unfortunately we don’t have access to the production number or other information about it.
Few other ‘souscription’ type movements exist, made by other workshops, some have even been made in Austria and Germany. Souscription type watches or movements from other workshops than Breguet’s are rarer than the originals. For a selection on different types of contemporary ‘souscription’ pieces from different workshops, once part of the private collection of Jean – Claude Sabrier, please refer to: Chayette & Cheval, Sale 148, 6.5.2015, P.: 88 – 95. Below you can find one example of this collection with more detailed description.
Antiquarian Horology 
