The ‘tact watch’ was invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in the late 1790s, a time when it was considered improper to check the time in public. The ingenious ‘tact’ mechanism allowed discreet time-telling through touch alone. This watch belongs to the category of ‘small’ tact watches by Breguet, the most sought-after type.

Sold on October 1st 1800, to Mr. Busty, it is one of the earliest models of tact watches.

A rare example of a pre-balance spring watch—one of the earliest locally-made watches for the Ottoman Sultan’s court in Constantinople—will also be auctioned. This exceptional oval piece features a sumptuous niello and damascened decoration. While made in a Western style, it is of local manufacture. During the Ottoman period, the Galata district in Constantinople was renowned for housing numerous artisans and watchmakers.

The great similarity between this watch and a wall clock signed by Bulugat, in the collections of the Toptapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, indicates that they were made by the same hand.

James Cox (1723–1800), a renowned British watchmaker of the 18th century, was famous for his erotic ‘secret watches’. These creations, featuring enamel work of exceptional craftsmanship, were particularly prized in Europe and Asia. Combining mechanical ingenuity with artistry, these secret clocks reflect an era's fascination for objects that held surprises and hidden functions.

Today, rare examples of enamelled watches by James Cox or his contemporaries are held in the prestigious collections of the British Museum and the Musée de l'Horlogerie in Geneva.