Breguet perpetuates the music of Time

If Breguet holds a special place in the world of horology, it is because its founder, Abraham Louis Breguet, set the standard by which all fine watchmaking has since been judged. Today, his heirs at Breguet still make each watch as a model of supreme horological art offered as a tribute at watchmaking’s high altar. Aviamost recalls milestone moments in this legendary brand’s history
 

Passion for one’s craft can take you far and make your name, live on long after you are gone. And Abraham Louis Breguet’s life (1747-1823) is a sublime illustration of this fact. The  eponymous brand founded by him in 1775 in Paris holds a special place in horological heritage due to its famous founder whose work set the standard by which all fine watchmaking has since been judged. A true pioneer his brand created the very first tourbillion in 1801 and the first wristwatch for a Queen - Caroline Murat way back in 1812. Today, his heirs still make each watch as a model of supreme horological art.

Born in Neuchâtel, Breguet spent most of his productive life in Paris. No aspect of watchmaking escaped his study, and his inventions were as fundamental to horology as they were varied. His career started with a series of breakthroughs: the development of the successful self-winding perpétuelle watches, the introduction of the gongs for repeating watches and the first shock-protection for balance pivots. Each watch from his workshops demonstrated the latest horological improvements in an original movement, mostly fitted with lever or ruby-cylinder escapements that he perfected.

A.-L. Breguet took refuge in Switzerland from the excesses of the French Revolution. He returned to Paris overflowing with the ideas that produced the Breguet balance-spring, his first carriage clock (sold to Bonaparte), the sympathique clock and its dependent watch, the tact watch, and finally the tourbillon, patented in 1801.

Breguet became the indispensable watchmaker to the scientific, military, financial and diplomatic elites of the age. His timepieces ruled the courts of Europe. Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie-Antoinette, were early enthusiasts of Breguet’s watchmaking. For his most celebrated clients, among them Napoleon Bonaparte, Tsar Alexander I of Russia (1809), Sir Winston Churchill (1901) Breguet designed exceptional timepieces.

Inventor of the Tourbillon

A watch balance will go fast or slow depending on the position of the watch. Breguet addressed the problem by rotating the entire balance and escapement around their common axis once a minute. This constant rotation averages out all the positional errors. A.-L. Breguet received a patent from France’s Ministry of the Interior for a new regulating device known as the tourbillon on June 26, 1801. Much ahead of its time, only 35 were sold between 1805 and A.-L. Breguet’s death in 1823. But it was an innovation that was to come into its own later as one of horology’s most ingenious inventions.

Abraham Louis Breguet was honoured with numerous awards for his contribution to horology. Appointed to the Board of Longitude and as chronometer-maker to the navy, he entered the Academy of Sciences and received the Legion of Honour from the hands of Louis XVIII. A.-L. Breguet took pains to register the production and sales of the company he founded in 1775. Each timepiece was thus recorded under its individual number with a short description, the date of sale and the name of the purchaser.

Since that time the company has made it a point of honor to keep up a tradition it holds dear and which underlines the importance that it accords to each of its clients. When he died in 1823, the world of horology mourned the architect of the greatest revolution in the science and art of time-keeping.

From rebirth to continuity

In 1999, the Swatch Group headed by Nicolas G. Hayek took over Breguet, one of the most pre­cious names in fine watchmaking which was lying somewhat dormant at the time. Driven by a genuine passion, he infused peerless vitality into a brand endowed with an exceptional herit­age and know-how that are recognised by its most prestigious peers. But the creative and visionary genius that was Nicolas G. Hayek also revived the cultural and emotional dimension of the brand and restored it to its noble pedigree.

Under his leadership, Breguet developed and registered more than 77 new patents, and also built a new movement each year, several of which were truly revolutionary, such as the double tourbillon. This innova­tive capacity made Breguet a reference in the field of Haute Horlogerie, alongside its unique status as an integral part of the European cultural heritage.

It is this unique position that inspired the most prestigious museums to welcome the brand’s legendary timepieces. These initiatives were of course fervently supported by Breguet. Exhibitions in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, or in the Louvrein Paris, are just two of these exceptional events that have delighted connoisseurs and aficionados, as well as Nicolas G. Hayek, who loved to view culture as synonymous with sharing. This same desire also led the Manufacture Breguet to take up magnificent challenges, such as that of repro­ducing the legendary Marie-Antoinette watch that had van­ished without trace. A description of this watch and the mysterious, extraordinary happenings associated with it are elaborated below.

Breguet’s archives, kept in Switzerland and in Paris, record the developments that have sustained Breguet watchmaking for more than two centuries. The firm is committed to remaining ahead of its time with a flow of inventions and improvements.

Today Breguet watches are made in the Vallée de Joux, the centre of advanced mechanical horology. The Breguet workshops bring together extraordinary resources to handle the essential aspects of watchmaking.

Driven by the same enthusiasm that the eponymous brand’s founder brought to his art, craftsmen work daily to perfect the timepieces that earn Breguet its position as the architect of fine horology. Watch production is divided into a dozen very different workshops. Breguet’s approach to watchmaking preserves the indivi­duality of each watch in a world of standard products. A.- L. Breguet never made two watches exactly alike, and there is no reason for the firm that he founded to break from that tradition.

A tempting target for counterfeiters, in 1795, Breguet came up with a countermeasure: the secret signature. Etched into the dial, the signature is all but invisible unless the dial is examined in oblique light.

Breguet’s unique style

• Since Breguet’s early days, the manufacturing numbers of its watches have enabled collectors to confirm their origin and provenance. In keeping with tradition, the unique production number assigned to each Breguet watch will testify to the talent and the care of its manufacture for generations to come.
• Some watches display the distinctive numerals that A.- L. Breguet designed, particularly on watches with enamel.
• The fluting (fine grooves enhanced with double beading) on the caseband of Breguet’s watches is another of the discreet decorative details that constitute what has become known as the Breguet style.
• Breguet watches have featured its founder’s celebrated hollow, eccentric “moon” tip watch hands for over two centuries now and are found on most Breguet timepieces.
• The lugs too are a characteristic in Breguet watches as they are welded onto the caseband as much for the technical reasons of rigidity and strength as for aesthetic consistency.

Breguet in literature

The number of references to Breguet watches in French and foreign literature is an indication of the remarkable reputation enjoyed by both the firm and its founder. Breguet is so deeply rooted in European culture that the name is virtually a sine qua non of any depiction of the aristocracy, the bourgeoisie or, quite simply, a life of luxury and elegance.

Stendhal, Prosper Mérimée, Alexander Pushkin, Honoré de Balzac, Alexandre Dumas, Henry Murger and Victor Hugo are only some of the writers who have made reference to Breguet in their works, followed closer to our own day by John Fowles, Patrick O’Brian and Jiro Asada.

Conveying an ultimate touch of elegance and refinement, Breguet’s exclusive writing instruments pay tribute to literature and to the authors who have honoured Breguet reflect the brand signature features, such as the famous fluted pattern as do the cufflinks.

The Return of the Queen

In 2004, Nicolas G. Hayek challenged Breguet’s watchmakers to build an exact replica of the watch number 160, known as the “Marie-Antoinette” in the tragic French Queen’s honor. Commissioned by a mysterious admirer of the Queen in 1782, this breathtaking 60mm pocket watch was stolen in 1983 from a Jerusalem museum. An interesting train of events followed Hayek’s decision to recreate the watch.

Just around this time, near the Marie-Antoinette’s residence at Versailles, Le Petit Trianon, the favorite oak tree where the Queen liked to day dream was struck down by a winter storm. Versailles offered the tree to Montres Breguet, who committed to the restoration of Le Petit Trianon. Hayek also acquired the tree and made a case for the replica of the legendary watch by fashioning a case out of its wood.

As the watch neared completion late 2007, the spoils of the 1983 robbery suddenly reappeared in Jerusalem, with the original Marie-Antoinette watch as part of the recovered lot. But to this date, the brand has yet to gain the opportunity to inspect the watch.

The new ‘Queen’ was presented in Baselworld in 2008. The formidable task of recreating the famous watch was done entirely from research in the archives and study of original drawings from the Breguet museum and from other key institutions like the museum des Art et Metiers in Paris as the only available sources of information.

The historic Queen Marie-Antoinette pocket watch made by Abraham-Louis Breguet, is worth more than $30 million and features a full perpetual calendar, a jumping hour hand, 23 complications and 823 parts. Encased in 18k gold and with sapphires gracing every working surface, it is considered the fifth most complicated watch in the world. But she was destined to never wear it for it was finished in 1827, 34 years after her death; four years after Breguet’s and 44 years after he’d accepted the order.

The French sovereign continues to be a source of inspiration for Breguet. In her famous portrait painted by Lebrun and entitled “La Reine Marie-Antoinette à la rose”, she is portrayed composing a bouquet of roses, her favourite flower. The “La Rose de la Reine” jewellery set, now presented in an 18k yellow gold version, is directly inspired by this painting.

Breguet’s outstanding collections

We can wax eloquent about this famous brand’s collections as they are backed by over two centuries of rich horological history and innovation. The Tradition collection pays a vibrant tribute to the memory of Breguet. Aptly reconciling established and avant-garde styling, their dial face accommodates horological complications in trim, aesthetically sweeping compositions.

The Classique collection captures the essence of Breguet’s original features. In some models, the precious materials of former times and fired enamel dials with Arabic numerals delight Breguet enthusiasts. One such is its Classique Chronométrie 7727, a concentrated blend of horological innovations, with its balance fitted on magnetic pivots and operating at a frequency of 10Hz achieves an average rate of -1 to +3 seconds per day. Notably thanks to complete mastery of silicon properties and magnetism, it set a new milestone in the field of high-precision mechanical watchmaking.

In the same collection comes a timepiece that pays ode to the world of music – Breguet’s 7800BB/11/9YV  La Musicale Classique watch plays a crystal-toned version of a famous tune,  either on demand or at the desired time, like a melodic reminder. Each model plays a different composition: Rossini’s The Thieving Magpie overture or The Badinerie by Johann Sebastian Bach. Based on the 777 self-winding movement incorporating an escapement as well as a balance spring both made in silicon, this technical masterpiece houses a patented musical mechanism. Its dial depicts mesmeric waves capturing the beauty and function of the piece.

Breguet’s Hora Mundi is a new generation of time-zone watches inviting us to take a journey across Europe-Africa, Asia-Oceania or America: three parts of the world are respectively depicted on three different models. It is also the first mechanical instant-jump time-zone watch with a mechanical memory providing synchronised displays of the date, day/night indication and city.

Among Breguet novelties at Baselworld 2015 is the Tradition Automatique Seconde Retrograde 7097 which pays further tribute to the mechanisms of the “subscription” and tact watches by revealing the bridges, wheels, escapement, barrel and other components of the movement, which are usually hidden beneath the baseplate while a conventional engine-turned hobnail pattern, done by hand, highlights a dial in silvered gold offset at 12 o'clock.

Breguet presents “Breguet, the Innovator” in Ekaterinburg, Russia

The exhibition entitled “Breguet, the Innovator” was showcased in Ekaterinburg, following a resounding success at the prestigious GUM department store on the Red Square in Moscow. More than 100 VIP guests attended the opening event held on November 19th, 2014 at the "Europa Trade Center" where Breguet has one of its prestigious boutiques. Among the guests were the famous Russian artists Evgeny Mironov and Chulpan Khamatova. During this special evening, attendees enjoyed Breguet’s technical mastery through the presence of outstanding ancient and contemporary timepieces. 

Breguet in Hong Kong

"Breguet's Celebration of Excellence," a classical music concert, took place on November 27th, at the City Hall in Hong Kong. This major international cultural event is part of the "Musicus Fest," which every year welcomes prestigious names from the classical world stage.

The 2014 edition was no exception, hosting famous cellist Trey Lee and violist Yuri Bashmet. Accompanied by the Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra, they captivated an audience of over 1400 with works of renowned composers such as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Tan Dun and Niccolò Paganini.

Hangzhou, China discovers Breguet’s high-tech exhibition

Launched in January 2014 in Geneva, the exhibition «Breguet, innovations that changed History… More than 200 patents since 1775» has since captivated the world. Under the spotlight, eight key technological developments by Breguet were presented in Hangzhou, China. From January 5th to 18th, 2015, visitors of the atrium of majestic Hangzhou Tower were invited to experience them through high-tech settings. 

Breguet highlights its unique identity through its distribution network composed of rigorously selected outlets across the world in Switzerland, France, Austria, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Macao, Hong Kong S.A.R. Taiwan, Korea, Japan and in the UAE where its boutiques are located in mall of the Emirates and The Dubai Mall and at Etihad towers in Abu Dhabi.