812Σ︎
Breguet
Ref. 3999BA/15/286
Classique Hong Kong Handover
A very rare and commemorative limited edition yellow gold wristwatch with Hong Kong flag caseback, center seconds, date, guilloché dial, certificate and presentation box, numbered 8 of a limited edition of 97 pieces made to commemorate the handover of Hong Kong on 1 July 1997
Full-Cataloguing
- Hong Kong flag caseback
- Numbered 8 of 97 pieces in yellow gold
- Hardly worn condition with full set accessories
To mark the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, Breguet issued a commemorative limited edition of the reference 3999. Produced in runs of 97 pieces in yellow gold and 19 in white gold, the present yellow‑gold example — lucky number 8 — is a striking and rare piece.
The dial bears the year “1997” and the refined guilloché pattern for which Breguet is celebrated. What truly distinguishes this example is the Hong Kong flag depicted on the caseback — a rare and explicit acknowledgement of the brand’s esteem for Hong Kong collectors and the historical significance of the occasion.
Offered by the original owner and supplied with its full complement of accessories, the watch has been held as part of a collection and was seldom worn, spending most of its life in a safe. It is an excellent choice for collectors who value horological craftsmanship paired with historical and cultural resonance.
Breguet
Swiss | 1775Established in 1775 by Abraham Louis Breguet, widely considered the greatest watchmaker of all time, the storied brand continues to thrive in the modern era, creating exceptional high-end watches as the Swatch Group's premier prestige brand. Some of the most important and lasting inventions in watchmaking are attributed to Abraham Louis Breguet, including the tourbillon, shock resistance and the use of hammers and gongs employed in nearly all minute repeating watches made since.
Eighteenth and nineteenth century Breguet pocketwatches are especially sought-after by collectors, and many of them were made for the elite of European society, including Napoléon and Marie Antoinette. Key wristwatches from the twentieth century include oversized dress watches, two-register chronographs, triple calendars and Type XX aviator's chronographs made for the French military and civilians.