Breguet, Number 1559
The case:
hump backed with moulded edges and raised on squat bun feet, surmounted by a gold button to repeat the hours and quarters, the sides with a pair of brackets connected by a belcher link chain handle, the solid rear door on a six-piece hinge and stamped to the inside with the French assay control mark and '1559/B.'

The dial:
Protected by a bevelled glass door on a six-piece hinge, the arched silver mask with very fine engine turning framing the silver Roman and Arabic dial, with minute markers and inner dotted track every fifteen minutes to help in accurate alarm setting, with finely engine turned centre, Breguet blued steel hands and a shaped gold alarm setting hand, within a milled bezel, set above an oval moonphase with gold stars on a blued sky and central circular aperture revealing the waxing and waning of the moon, over four rectangular calendar apertures giving day - date - month and year, the base of the mask further set with an arc giving the equation of time plus or minus up to 17 minutes indicated by an automatically adjusting blued steel hand with engraved gold sunburst at its tip.

The movement:
Of eight day duration, with cut and compensated bimetallic balance mounted on a platform in the traditional manner, but the lever and 'scape wheel mounted vertically between the plates. The strike train sounding and repeating the hours and the quarters via a pair of keystone shaped hammers on a pair of rectangular-section coiled blued steel gongs, the alarm sounded on a smaller circular-headed hammer, a steel lever offering a choice of grande sonnerie, petite sonnerie or silence.

The presentation case:
Covered in red morocco leather with tooled gilt highlights to the edges of all six sides, surmounted by a gilt brass loop handle and hinged cover to access the repeat button, the sides locked with two shield-shaped latches, the front cover centred by the number '1559' and sliding upwards to reveal the arched mask, the rear set with a pair of shaped runners to accommodate the front cover when not in use, the fitted interior lined in purple velvet and with secret compartment below opening to reveal the bespoke recess to house the original double-ended hand-setting and winding key. 16cms (6ins) high.