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Eccentricity Prototype
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lot 33

Cyril Brivet-Naudot

Eccentricity Prototype

This lot has a reserve price
Estimate CHF 80 000 / CHF 150 000
Starting bid CHF 70 000
Hammer price CHF 95 000
Total bids 9
Buyer’s premium will not be charged
At the last Baselworld in 2019, I met Cyril Brivet-Naudot and tried on his Eccentricity. The up-and-coming independent watchmaker has created an unusual, eccentric timepiece whose value is clear to the discerning collector. The design of the Eccentricity is truly eccentric – just as the effort to read the time is eccentric, so is its technology – thanks to the use of the rare ‘échappement libre excentrique’ and other technical aspects. And yet, the most important thing about these watches is that they’re fundamentally traditional. Cyril explicitly points out that all the important parts are made without the use of CNC and with a lot of handwork. That’s why each of his watches is unique. And even from this point of view, this watch has an important status – it’s the original prototype on which the master improved the technical design.
Alex Kutkovoy
More than 10 years editor in Revolution
Estimate
CHF 80 000 / CHF 150 000

Specification

CaseBrushed stainless steel case with a sapphire caseback, polished bezel, straight lugs & key winding system on the back
StrapBrown Alligator leather strap sigend "Brivet-Naudot" with a stainless steel pin buckle
DialSkeletonized off center dial on the right side, minute ring, applied with Arabic numerals & a hours ring applied with applied Roman numerals, balance wheel on the left part
MovementSand-balsted brass hand-wound movement with a key winding system, free eccentric inspired escapement & a jumping hour complication
Ref.Prototype
Movement No.Eccentricity
Case No.1/1
D=39mm
Year11.2022

Condition report

Case:Mint condition
Strap:Very good, no signs of wear
Dial:Very good, small signs of coloration
Movement:Very good, all functions working properly
Box:Yes
Papers:Yes

Details 

A very rare, attractive and collectible prototype stainless steel wristwatch by Cyril Brivet-Naudot, an independent French watchmaker. Originally made in 2019-2020, revised in 2022. Stainless steel case, diameter 39 mm, 11.6 mm thick, sapphire crystal, sapphire caseback. Open-worked dial, scale rings in silver, “Brivet-Naudot” engraved freehand on the mainplate of the movement on the dial side. Key wound movement with key-set, detached eccentric escapement, balance on the dial side, power reserve up to 40 hours. Functions - indication of time in hours by a small hand on a rotating sub-dial and minutes on a rotating ring. Brown leather strap, stainless steel pin buckle. Unique prototype. 

Lot essay 

Cyril Brivet-Naudot is part of the new wave of independent watchmakers. Born in France, he learned the craft at the Lyceé Edgar Faure in Morteau, France, and then continued his education at the École Polytechnique Federal in Lausanne. In making his own watches, he drew inspiration from the legendary watchmakers of the past, who produced outstanding timepieces long before the invention of modern methods of metalworking. That's why Cyril Brivet-Naudot explains that he makes his watches himself, without the involvement of subcontractors, without the use of CNC and other state-of-the-art computer-controlled equipment - on traditional machines with traditional tools and mostly by hand. The uniqueness of his watches lies in the fact that only the mainspring, the balance spring and, to some extent, the jewels are bought in, while all other parts of the caliber and the watch case are made by him. 

He began developing the Eccentricity, his first watch, around 2015 and presented the first examples at Baselworld as early as 2019. In designing the caliber and watches in general, he didn't follow the beaten path. The watch is truly unusual and even eccentric, and in this sense the name of the watch should be recognized as appropriate for its design and technical characteristics. 

In addition to the unusual design, in which we find a combination of obvious craftsmanship, a modern laconic appearance with typical features of early 19th century calibers, complemented by a free arrangement of the movement with a spectacular version of the échappement libre excentrique as well as a balance set on the dial.

The movement has architecture found on rare early 19th century timepieces, with the balance on the dial. On the back of the movement, you can see the trapezoidal bridges, which were very popular in that period. Another indication of this is the caliber, which is key-wound and key-set. This is extremely rare in modern wristwatches. The use of a key wind and key set simplifies the caliber, which is more than made up for by the use of the unusual échappement libre excentrique, originally invented by Louis Richard in 1860 and adapted by Cyril Brivet-Naudot and Luc Monnet, his cooperating watchmaker. The escapement can be seen on the back of the movement, and its function is also spectacular. 

The watch is mostly handmade by the master, which can be seen by the freely engraved inscriptions on the rim of the caseback and on the movement plate, both on the dial side and on the back. This makes the present example even more valuable. In addition, this watch has a special status, as it's a unique prototype, in which the master worked out the design with a separate bar to attach the outer coil of the Breguet hairspring. Currently, only one timepiece with such a feature is known - this is the present lot. 

Reasons to bid 

The Cyril Brivet-Naudot Eccentricity Prototype would be a great buy for the collector looking for an extremely rare, attractive and collectible wristwatch from a modern independent watchmaker. In addition to the unusual design, in which we find a combination of obvious craftsmanship, a modern laconic appearance with typical features of early 19th century calibers, complemented by a free arrangement of the movement with a spectacular version of the échappement libre excentrique as well as a balance set on the dial. The present lot is a unique prototype with a separate bar for fixing the outer coil of the hairspring, which makes this lot even more attractive. 

*Under the aegis of Maître Marco Breitenmoser, Huissier Judiciaire