Breguet creations have consistently attracted and fascinated women, including famous patrons such as Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France, the Marquise de Condorcet, and the Empress Josephine of France. The list of Breguet’s fervent female admirers also includes Caroline Murat, to whom he delivered in 1812 – more than two hundred years ago – a model that was truly unprecedented at the time: the first wristwatch. Its ovoid shape was no less exceptional. The models in the Reine de Naples line, anthems of praise to femininity, are inspired by this legendary creation: resolutely modern, refined and suffused with an exquisitely poetic touch.

Whether extra-thin models or complicated watches, they are all true to the technical principles, the artistry and the traditional values of the Breguet watch. Classique models capture the essence of Breguet’s original features. In some models, the precious materials of former times and fired enamel dials with Arabic numerals will delight Breguet enthusiasts.  

On October 27th 1815, Abraham-Louis Breguet was appointed chronometer maker to the French Royal Navy by the king of France, Louis XVIII. This title was not only a symbol of recognition and prestige, but also involved exercising a truly important role on behalf of the nation. At the time, marine chronometers were vital for fleets, since they enabled calculations of ships’ positions. Therefore, they had to be accurate and able to withstand the constant pitching and rolling of the boats. Today, Marine watches are based on the traditional Breguet values, while interpreting them in a contemporary way. Their sturdy construction, reinforced case and protected crown, along with refined craftsmanship, endow them with an elegant and sporting nature that makes them suitable for wear in all circumstances.

If Breguet holds a special place in our cultural heritage, it is because its founder, A.- L. Breguet (1747-1823), set the standards 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. A.- L. Breguet was born in Neuchâtel, but it was in Paris that he spent most of his productive life. No aspect of watchmaking escaped his study, and this 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 gongs for repeating watches and the first shock-protection for balance pivots. Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie-Antoinette, were early enthusiasts of Breguet’s watchmaking. Each watch from his workshops demonstrated the latest horological improvements in an original movement, mostly fitted with lever or rubycylinder 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 élites of the age. His timepieces ruled the courts of Europe. For his most distinguished clients, Breguet designed this most remarkable pieces, such as the first ever wristwatch for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810. Honors saluted his enormous contribution to horology. Appointed to the Board of Longitude and as chronometer maker to the French navy, he entered the Academy of Sciences and received the Legion of Honour from the hands of Louis XVIII.
When he died in 1823, all mourned the architect of the greatest revolution in the science and art of time-keeping. Today more than ever, its capacity to innovate reflects a brand’s vitality. Breguet’s creativity and ingenuity have not dwindled over time, but have on the contrary steadily increased: witness the fact that since 1999, under the impetus of Nicolas G. Hayek and the current management of Marc A. Hayek, the list of patents registered during this recent period is now considerably longer than that of the founder’s inventions.