Montre à Tact Watch

This is a very fine and rare gold, enamel, pearl and diamond montre à tact watch. The dial is a striking guilloched-blue enamel, with a diamond-studded arrow hand. The back of the case has a diamond-studded flower on the blue ground. The gilt bezel is fitted with pearls on the outside for the numerals of the watch, with the 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 positions fitted with larger pearls and a large diamond-studded knob at the 12:00 position.

The montre à tact watch was invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet between 1796 and 1800 to tell time by touch. In the late 18th century it was considered impolite to consult one's watch in company, a question of etiquette which the à tact watch helped to solve (the French word tact means touch.) The outside knobs representing the hours are positioned around the outside of the case. A large hand was turned until it met resistance. Its position in relation to the knobs gave the time. This kind of tactile watch is now mainly used by the blind and visually impaired.