The House of Breguet

Journey through time

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1775 - 1801

Abraham-Louis Breguet left his native Neuchâtel in his teens to complete his apprenticeship as a watchmaker in Versailles and Paris. In 1775, he opened his own workshop in the Île de la Cité in Paris. Thanks to Abbé Marie, who took him under his wing, he was introduced to the French court, whose members soon became part of his clientele. Forced to leave France during the dark days of the Revolution, he returned in 1795 to continue his work, with many projects in mind. The early years of this brilliant watchmaker were marked by inventions that still benefit the entire watchmaking industry today.

1775

Opening of Abraham-Louis Breguet's workshop in Paris

A.-L. Breguet, born in Neuchâtel in 1747, set up his own business on the Quai de l'Horloge, Île de la Cité in Paris. He had recently married and moved into a building overlooking Quai de l'Horloge on one side and Place Dauphine on the other. He became the owner at the end of the Revolution and passed it on to his heirs.

quai de l'horloge breguet
marie-antoinette-bg
1783

Order for watch N°160, known as the “Marie-Antoinette” watch

One of the Queen's guards ordered a watch incorporating all the complications and improvements known at the time.

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breguet suisse 18e
1793

A.-L. Breguet returns to Switzerland during the French Revolution

The watchmaker took refuge in his native country until 1795, and despite the distance, he managed to run what remained of his workshop. 

1796

Sale of the first subscription watch

Sold on a subscription basis - a quarter of the price is paid when the order is placed - this creation is distinguished in particular by its single hand. 

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BREGUET-N°246
napoleon
1798

Purchase of three timepieces by Napoleon before his Egypt campaign

One of Breguet's most famous customers, Napoleon Bonaparte bought a repeater watch, a travel clock and a perpetual watch that year.

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1799

Sale of the first “tact watch”

This watch can be read by touch. An arrow on the outside of the case reproduces the position of the hour hand. After “feeling” the position of the arrow, the wearer can find their bearings thanks to markers located directly above the hours.

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BREGUET-N°611

Inventions in this period

BREGUET N°1-8-82_MOUVEMENT
1780

Appearance of the first automatic watches

Aiguilles-Breguet
1783

Invention of the gong-spring and creation of the Breguet hands and numerals

Breguet no 168
1786

Appearance of guilloché in watchmaking

Breguet inventeur du parechute
1790

Invention of the “pare-chute” shock absorber

Balance spring-breguet
1795

Invention of the “Breguet balance-spring”

Breguet N 666
1798

Presentation of the first “sympathique clock”

1801 - 1823

A.-L. Breguet discovered a changed France when he returned to Paris at the end of the Revolution. Nevertheless, he managed to continue developing his foreign clientele and created a truly international distribution network that extended as far as Russia and Turkey. His clientele included some of Europe's most prominent figures. He continued his career with a number of prestigious inventions, including the Tourbillon. This extraordinary career earned him several distinctions, such as member of the Bureau des Longitudes, Watchmaker to the French Royal Navy, member of the French Academy of Sciences and Knight of the Legion of Honour. He died in 1823 at the age of 76.

Breguet Selim 3
1804

First purchase of Selim III

Ali Effendi, then Minister for the Navy, commissioned the finest possible repeating watch for the Ottoman Emperor, Selim III.

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Breguet caroline Murat Reine de Naples
1808

First purchase by Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples

With 34 clocks and watches purchased between 1808 and 1814, Caroline Murat, Napoleon's youngest sister, became A.-L. Breguet's most important customer. This special relationship led to the creation of the first watch designed specifically to be worn on the wrist.

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Tsar-alexandre-1
1809

Purchase of a “sympathique clock” by the Tsar of Russia, Alexander I

He appreciated Breguet's creations and encouraged their sale in Russia. He also ordered a series of pedometers to measure the marching pace of his troops. 

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1815

Appointment of A.-L. Breguet as Watchmaker to the French Royal Navy

After his appointment to the Bureau des Longitudes in Paris in 1814, A.-L. Breguet was given the official title of Watchmaker to the French Royal Navy by Louis XVIII. This was the most prestigious title a watchmaker could receive, since the very notion of marine watchmaking implied scientific knowledge.

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breguet marine royale
1823

Death of A.-L. Breguet

A.-L. Breguet died during the night of 16 to 17 September, aged seventy-six years and eight months. His only son and associate, Antoine-Louis Breguet, born in 1776, took over the management of the company and continued his father's work.

Breguet mort 1823

Inventions in this period

Breguet Tourbillon brevet
1801

Patent granted for a completely new type of regulator called the "Tourbillon"

Breguet n2639
1810

Order for the first watch designed to be worn on the wrist

Breguet Off-center-dials
1812

Introduction of off-centre dials

BREGUET N°4009
1820

Invention of the "chronomètre à doubles secondes"

Writers in this period

Breguet Stendhal
1817

Stendhal, author of “Rome, Naples and Florence”

1823 - 1870

Antoine-Louis Breguet, the founder's only son, took over the company following his father's death. He had been immersed in watchmaking from an early age and continued the family business until 1833, when his own son, Louis-Clément, took over. With his passion for the uses of electricity, he also injected a new dynamism into the company, understanding that watchmaking was now aimed at a wider audience. This marked the start of mass production. 

1833

The company is taken over by the founder's grandson, Louis-Clément Breguet

His passion for electricity made him one of Europe's leading specialists in the field, to the detriment of traditional watchmaking, which he gradually lost interest in.

Louis-Clément-Breguet
queen victoria
1838

Purchase by Queen Victoria

The young Queen purchased a small watch with an off-centre dial wound by a knurled button.

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rossini
1843

Servicing of Gioachino Rossini's watch

The great composer owned a simple date watch that his wife continued to maintain after his death.

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1843

Appointment of Louis-Clément Breguet to the Bureau des Longitudes

bureau des longitudes

Inventions in this period

BREGUET N°4288 MOUVEMENT Pare-chute
1830

First watch with keyless winding mechanism

breguet thermometrograph
1840

Invention of the “hourly thermometrograph”

Writers in this period

Prosper Mérimée Breguet
1830

Prosper Mérimée, author of “Lettres d'Espagne”

Honoré de Balzac Breguet
1833

Honoré de Balzac, author of “Eugénie Grandet”

William Makepeace Thackeray Breguet
1847

William Makepeace Thackeray, author of “La Foire aux Vanités”

Henry Murger
1848

Henry Murger, author of “Scènes de la vie de bohème”

Alexandre Pouchkine Breguet
1825

Alexandre Pouchkine, author of « Eugen Onegin »

Dumas Breguet
1844

Alexandre Dumas, author of “Le Comte de Monte-Cristo”

1870 - 1970

A.-L. Breguet's descendants gradually lost interest in watchmaking in favour of other sectors such as electricity, scientific instruments and, later, aviation. In 1870, Louis-Clément Breguet, representing the third generation, sold the watchmaking branch of the company to his workshop manager Edward Brown. The Brown family, aware of the historical importance of Breguet and the heritage it represents, continued to run the company for a century. With great perseverance, they consistently maintained the brand's activity and traditions, despite numerous difficulties, crises and world wars. 

1870

Sale of the watchmaking company to Edward Brown, workshop manager

Almost a century after it was founded, the watchmaking company left the Breguet family and its birthplace on the Quai de l'Horloge. Another family, the Browns, would take over for exactly one hundred years. Three generations and four owner-managers succeeded one another.

breguet brown
Duke of Marlborough
1890

Purchase of a watch by the Duke of Marlborough

Sir Winston Churchill's uncle purchased an exceptional minute repeater chronograph with split-seconds, which later belonged to his famous nephew.

Breguet churchil
1901

First servicing of Sir Winston Churchill’s watch

Throughout his life, he visited Breguet, either to make purchases or to have the watch he wore all his life, N°765, serviced.

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Breguet rubinstein
1903

Servicing of Arthur Rubinstein's watch

The timepiece owned by the famous pianist was first made in 1822. It later belonged to Prince Scherbatoff.

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Breguet Ettore-Bugatti
1932

Sale of made-to-measure car watches for Bugatti

Ettore Bugatti chose Breguet to produce chronographs with a tachometer function for the centre of the steering wheels of his luxurious “Royale” automobiles.

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Paris vendome
1933

Opening of the Place Vendôme Boutique

Still a Parisian brand, Breguet moves into 28 Place Vendôme. It was the first watch brand to set up shop on this iconic square, and remains there to this day, having occupied several different addresses.

Inventions in this period

Breguet Type 11
1926

Development of “special” counters for aircraft begins

Breguet 4100 Ancienne Type-XX 1954
1954

Mass production of the Type XX chronograph begins

Writers in this period

Victor Hugo Breguet
1865

Victor Hugo, author of “Les Chansons des rues et des bois”

Max Jacob Breguet
1923

Max Jacob, author of “Filibuth ou La Montre en or”

John Fowles Breguet
1968

John Fowles, author of “Sarah et le Lieutenant français”

1970 - 1999

Breguet changed hands in 1970 and for fifteen years belonged to the Chaumet brothers, heirs to a prestigious jewellery Maison. From then on, Breguet chose to devote itself exclusively to very high-end watchmaking, including watches with complications that revived its traditional style. Production took place in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. In 1987, Breguet was taken over by the financial company Investcorp. Favourable economic conditions enabled the company to expand into new markets in Asia and North America. 

1970

Sale of Breguet to the Parisian jewellers Chaumet

From 1970 onwards, new watches with complications were developed and made available in several countries around the world. 

breguet-chaumet
Breguet la Vallée de Joux
1976

Opening of a workshop in the Vallée de Joux (Switzerland)

A Swiss workshop in this well-known watchmaking valley was opened in addition to the one in Paris. The links with Breguet's country of origin had always been close since the company's origins and were now considerably strengthened.

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1987

Acquisition of Breguet by Investcorp

Bahrain-based financial company Investcorp acquires Breguet. With a view to expanding its production facilities, in 1991 it acquired Nouvelle Lémania, a watch manufacturer specialising in top-of-the-range movements and complications, and Valdar, a manufacturer of components. Together with Breguet, they formed a small watchmaking group. Nouvelle Lémania gradually became the Breguet Manufacture as it supplied more and more finished movements to Breguet.

breguet-lemania
1994

Opening of a new Manufacture in L'Abbaye in the Vallée de Joux (Switzerland)

Breguet moves into a renovated building equipped for its specific needs. Today, this is the company's head office and all production activities are carried out from the Manufacture in L'Orient (Switzerland). 

Breguet l'Abbaye

1999 - Present

1999 marks a new beginning for Breguet, which is taken over by the Swatch Group. Under the impetus of Nicolas G. Hayek, and thanks to major human and financial investments, Breguet regained its glory and prestige. Following his death in 2010, his grandson Marc A. Hayek took over the helm of this gem of the watchmaking world. In 2021, Lionel a Marca was appointed CEO of the Maison, working closely with Mr Hayek, who is still President.  

Nicolas Hayek
1999

Sale of the Breguet watchmaking group to Swatch Group

Breguet becomes the fifteenth Maison to join Swatch Group under the leadership of Nicolas G. Hayek, who becomes its Chief Executive Officer. With a genuine passion for the brand, he dedicated the necessary human and financial resources to restore it to its former glory and place it once again at the pinnacle of Fine Watchmaking.

2010

Marc A. Hayek takes over as CEO

Following the death of his grandfather, he took over the running of Breguet and has continued to raise the company to the highest level ever since.

Marc A. Hayek
2011

Creation of Montres Breguet Boîtes

The case manufacturer Favre & Perret, which has long produced cases for Breguet watches, officially becomes Montres Breguet Boîtes (MBB). 

Breguet MBB
2015

Expansion of the L'Orient Manufacture in the Vallée de Joux (Switzerland) is completed

After the acquisition by Swatch Group in 1999, the expansion of the Manufacture Breguet continued until 2015.

Breguet manufacture Orient

Inventions in this period

breguet reine de naples 8908
2002

Introduction of the Reine de Naples model including a new moon-phase mechanism

Breguet-Silicium
2006

The introduction of silicon for certain watch components

reedition-marie-antoinette
2008

Presentation of the “Marie-Antoinette” watch in a re-edition version

haute-frequence
2010

Introduction of high frequency (10Hz)

Breguet pivot magnetique
2010

Introduction of the magnetic pivot

breguet magnetic governor
2011

Introduction of the magnetic strike governor

Breguet classique chronometrie 7727
2013

First watch equipped with a magnetic pivot

Breguet classique Tourbillon 5377
2014

Unveiling of an extra-thin Tourbillon movement

Breguet-hora-Mundi-5557
2022

Announcement of an innovative dual time zone watch "Hora Mundi" in the Marine line

Breguet TypeXX 2057
2023

Launch of the new generation Type XX chronograph

Writers in this period

Patrick O'Brian Breguet
1999

Patrick O'Brian, author of “Blue at the Mizzen”

Jiro Asada Breguet
2002

Jiro Asada, author of “Tooi Tsutsuoto”