First watch with keyless winding mechanism
Antoine-Louis Breguet introduced the first keyless winding watches with a knurled button for winding and resetting. However, he failed to patent this revolutionary device.
The first watches to be equipped with a winding crown were produced by Antoine-Louis Breguet. On 30 December 1830, Breguet sold to Comte Charles de L’Espine watch no.4952, equipped with a knurled button in the pendant which fulfilled two functions: setting the hands and rewinding the watch. The modern winding crown was born. Breguet’s son did not patent this revolutionary device at the time.
Breguet half-quarter-repeating watch No.4288, one of the very first watches with a winding crown, or keyless winding, just above the pendant. Sold on 31 October 1836 to Mr Theodor Yermolov.