Watches of the Vallée de Joux

Breguet Caroussel

2007-12-29T01:52:00.001-08:00

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Breguet

2007-12-26T05:53:00.001-08:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Breguet is a manufacturer of fine watches, founded by Abraham Louis Breguet in Paris in 1775. Currently part of The Swatch Group, its timepieces are now (since 1976) produced in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. Breguet is one of the oldest surviving watch-making establishments and is the pioneer of numerous watch-making technologies, the most famous being the tourbillon, invented by Abraham Louis Breguet. Breguet has recently introduced a line of writing instruments as a tribute to writers who mention or feature Breguet watches in their works. Breguet watches are often easily recognized for their coin-edge cases, fine guilloché dials and distinctive blue pomme hands (often now referred to as 'Breguet hands').

History

Beginnings

Breguet was founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet at the quai de l'Horloge on the Ile de la Cite following his marriage to the daughter of a prosperous French bourgeois. Her dowry provided the "financing" which allowed him to open his own workshop. The connections Breguet had made with scholarly people during his apprenticeship as a watchmaker and as a student of mathematics soon paid off with spectacular results. Following his introduction to the court, whereupon Queen Marie-Antoinette grew fascinated by Breguet's unique self-winding watch, Louis XVI had bought several of his watches. Marie Antoinette would commission the famous watch that was to contain every single watch function known to man at the time, including the following:

A Clock
A Perpetual Calendar
A Repeater
A Thermometer
A Chronograph
A Power-Reserve
A Pare-Chute

Marie Antoinette never lived to see the watch, as it was completed 34 years later, long after she was executed. This beautiful watch is now part of the watch collection at the Islamic Museum in Jerusalem - Israel.

Marie Antoinette never lived to see the watch, as it was completed 34 years later, long after she was executed. This beautiful watch is now part of the watch collection at the Islamic Museum in Jerusalem - Israel.

Company Timeline

1775 - Founded in Paris by A. L. Breguet
1780 - Launch of its first self winding watch known as the "Perpetuelle"
1790 - Invention of the Pare-Chute, an anti-shock device
1801 - Patent of the Tourbillon Regulator
1870 - Bought from the descendants of Breguet by E. Brown Jewelers, London
1970 - Bought by Chaumet Jewelers
1987 - Bought from Chaumet, during bankruptcy, by Investcorp
1991 - Valdar was bought, and folded into Groupe Horloger Breguet (GHB), still under the ownership of Investcorp
1992 - Nouvelle Lemania, a manufacture of watch movements, was brought into GHB
1999, September 4 - Swatch group announces plans for the purchase of GHB

Collections

Gentleman's:

Classique: Simple, Grandes Complications - popular round-bezel pieces
Marine - water-resistant, often with non-metal straps
Heritage - rectangular bezels
Type XX - sturdy, based on WWII-era pilots watches
La Tradition - similar to the long gone Souscription by Breguet

Lady's: (mainly distinguished by diamonds)

Classique
Marine
Heritage
Type XX
Reine de Naples - oval bezels

Breguet also makes clocks, jewelry (for women), and writing instruments/cases, as a tribute to the authors who incorporated the watches into their works.

Notable owners

Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France
Louis XVI, King of France
Louis Antoine de Bougainville, French Explorer
Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento
Count Axel von Fersen, Swedish diplomat
Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of the French
Selim III, sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Caroline Murate, Queen of Naples
Tsar Alexander I of Russia
Michel Ney, Marshal of France
George Washington, 1st American President
Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
Sir Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister
Arthur Rubinstein, Master pianist
Sergei Rachmaninoff, Composer
Lola Astanova, Virtuoso pianist
Nicolas Sarkozy, French president
Leo Tolstoy, Russian author
Maestro Valery Gergiev, Russian Conductor

Fictional owners:

Dr. Stephen Maturin in Patrick O'Brian's Napoleonic War novels
Baron Danglars from Dumas' Count of Monte Cristo
Phileas Fogg from Verne's Around the World in 80 Days
Eugene Onegin in Alexander Pushkin's Onegin
Patrick Bateman in Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho

Breguet: Celebrated Patrons

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The House of Breguet was privileged to create timepieces for the diplomatic, scientific, military and financial elite.

Among its clients, Queen Marie-Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, Talleyrand, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Caroline Murat, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Queen Victoria, Sir Winston Churchill and Arthur Rubinstein who put their confidence in the taste and artistry of Breguet.

Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France (1872)

On October 16th 1793, Queen Marie-Antoinette stepped onto the guillotine to meet the same fate her husband King Louis XVI had undergone a few months previously. She was to be one of the first and most fervent admirers of the timekeepers produced by Breguet's talented hands. If one can imagine the court life of the 1780s, who better than Marie-Antoinette to 'advertise' Breguet? As a matter of fact, she owned quite a few of the Maestro's creations and transmitted her enthusiasm to the whole court of France and to its most eminent guests. Thanks to her, a number of kings, emperors, diplomats - amongst whom was a certain Axel Von Fersen - came to appreciate Breguet's works and spread the word all over Europe and beyond. A loyal customer of the watchmaker's shop on the Quai de l'Horloge until the bitter end, in September 1792 - while already imprisoned in the Temple - she asked for, and obtained, a simple Breguet watch. Kept like a precious relic in spite of its simplicity, the watch became part of Sir David Salomons' collection along with Breguet's masterpiece, the famous watch No. 160 called Marie-Antoinette, which the Queen never actually saw in its finished form. Ordered in 1783 by an Officer of the Queen's Guard whose name is not known, this watch was to comprise all the latest refinements and sophistications, with no limit on either time or price. A.-L. Breguet completed the model many years after the Revolution and kept it safely as an act of loyalty to the Queen. The piece, now missing due to a theft, continues more than ever to fascinate collectors from all the world. It is still known under the name of Marie-Antoinette, as a tribute to the Queen of France and in memory of the extraordinary support she provided to the great Breguet at the dawn of his career.

Napoleon Bonaparte (1798)

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of A.-L. Breguet's most faithful clients. His interest in the latter's art of measuring time also influenced several close acquaintances and many members of his family.

It was almost certainly through General Leclerc and his own companions in arms Berthier and Dessolle, all three regular clients of Breguet, that General Bonaparte first heard of the establishment on the Quai de l'Horloge.

In April 1798, a month before setting out on his Egyptian campaign, General Bonaparte bought three pieces which were particularly representative of Breguet's output: a repeating watch, 'garde-temps with insulated escapement'
n° 38; a travelling calendar and repeating clock n° 178 (the first of its kind); and a perpétuelle repeating watch n° 216. These purchases answered a dual purpose: first and foremost, on his meteoric rise through the ranks of both social and political life, Napoleon sought to possess objects of refinement to stand as symbols of his power and social status; and secondly, for purely practical reasons, he needed to take with him on his campaigns timepieces which were solid and reliable.

Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento (1787)

A fascinating figure of 18th and 19th century France and for some years the country’s minister of foreign affairs, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand was an enthusiastic admirer of Breguet’s timepieces. Testifying to his solid friendship with the master watchmaker, he provided the latter with a good number of his customers. It was most likely thanks to Talleyrand that Breguet was able to make the acquaintance of Esseid Ali Effendi, the ambassador of the Ottoman Empire in France, and measure the country’s impressive commercial potential, as well as of Prince Joseph of Monaco and his spouse, Princess Thérèse.

Talleyrand greatly prized the stylishness and exceptional quality of Breguet’s work. So close were the two men that whenever necessary Breguet’s commercial correspondence and even his timepieces travelled courtesy of the postal service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ancestor of the diplomatic pouch.

Talleyrand’s receptions, staged at the Ministry until 1807 as well as at his private homes, ranked among the most dazzling in all of Paris. It was in fact at one of Talleyrand’s numerous parties that Breguet was asked to demonstrate the practical aspects of an invention of his, the “pare-chute”, whose principle he had been describing. Breguet simply pulled out his watch and threw it on the floor. He then proposed that someone pick it up and pass it around. All present had to admit that it was in good running order despite the shock it had just experienced. Talleyrand could only complain “That confounded Breguet never stops improving on perfection!”.

Talleyrand shared his admiration for Breguet watches with his family and with the
diplomatic community at large. Delivered between 1798 and 1823, his own purchases, those of his wife, nephews, illegitimate son Charles de Flahaut and his entourage numbered not far from thirty.

Empress Josephine (1798)

The Bonaparte family is an extraordinary example of loyalty to Breguet's watches. Indeed, beginning with Napoleon, almost all members of the family were keen collectors of his creations.

Napoleon was followed by Josephine in 1798 and 1800. She was to renew contact with the firm in 1806 and herself to be followed by her daughter, Queen Hortense in 1810 and 1812.

Selim III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1806)

In 1804, Ali Effendi, then Minister for the Navy, commissioned the finest possible repeating watch for the Ottoman Emperor, Selim III, to whom he referred only – according to Turkish custom – as 'the greatest person in our country… so great and so eminent that I may not utter his name'. The project was a success: the emperor demanded a second watch identical to the first, and Ali Effendi wrote to Breguet the following year: 'Your reputation in Constantinople could not be higher. All the great princes admire your works.'

Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples (1808)

With the acquisition of thirty-four clocks and watches from 1808 up to 1814, the ambitious and very beautiful Queen of Naples easily took pride of place among Breguet's best clients.

The younger sister of Napoleon reigned with her husband the king, Joachim Murat, from 1808 to 1815, and the special relationship which she fostered with Breguet during this time was to give rise to the first watch specially designed to be worn on the wrist. Commissioned in 1810, paid for in 1811 and delivered in 1812, it was revolutionary in conception: an ultra-thin repeating watch, oblong in shape, equipped with a thermometer and mounted on a wristlet of hair entwined with gold thread. No difficulty was too great for Breguet to overcome in his determination to satisfy Queen Caroline, and he was to be duly rewarded.

During the summer of 1813, when the European crisis was at its most acute and the firm had lost its best clients, Queen Caroline bought a further twelve watches (eight repeating and four simple) from her favourite watchmaker, thus providing a much-needed boost to the firm's funds at a moment when it was the least expected.

Caroline Murat also completed her collection with a number of thermometers and barometers and several dozen commercial watches: modestly priced pieces intended as gifts.

Tsar Alexander of Russia (1809)

Dismayed as Breguet and his son were by the brutal loss of their Russian market, they were to find unexpected consolation in the spring of 1814. On April 2nd, a mysterious visitor to the premises on the Quai de l'Horloge proved to be none other than the Tsar of All the Russias, travelling incognito and accompanied only by a manservant.

The ledgers confirm that on that day, the tsar bought a repeating watch and one other. According to family tradition, Breguet received his illustrious visitor in his small first-floor office, where the two men enjoyed a long discussion about watchmaking before sharing a modest meal. This memorable encounter provided the opportunity for the tsar to place an order for a series of 'pedometers' – metronomes for regulating military marching times – of which he was to receive eight between 1820 and 1822. In response to the impetus given by the tsar, Russian sales, which had fallen to nothing in 1813, quickly picked up again.

Michel Ney, Marshal of France (1813)

The army, an indissociable element of the regime, provided Breguet with a strong contingent of devoted clients, including imperial generals and marshals such as Michel Ney. All subjected their watches to rough treatment on the battlefield and described their campaigns in letters to Breguet. Whenever they returned to Paris on leave they made a ritual pilgrimage to Breguet, who duly expunged the traces of Austerlitz, Friedland, Wagram and other great battles from their timepieces.

Count Axel von Fersen (1835)

In 1835 Count Axel von Fersen, the nephew of Axel von Fersen the younger (1755-1810), who was the closest of companions to Marie-Antoinette, bought a miniature and very slim gold hunting pair-cased and skeletonised keyless watch. Without question the smallest watch with keyless winding and hand-setting produced by any manufacture before the advent of the wristwatch in the late 19th century, it represents an important achievement in thedevelopment of the modern wristwatch, and would appear to confirm that the firm of Breguet were the inventors of the combined keyless winding and hand-setting through the crown. Their appearance must have caused a sensation amongst the firm's clientele, since virtually all were sold to his most prestigious customers.

Queen Victoria (1838)

Queen Victoria of England purchased a Breguet watch one year after her ascent to the throne in 1837 (history, however, does not tell us whether she wore it until her death in 1901).

Sir Winston Churchill (1901)

Sir Winston Churchill remained a familiar figure at Breguet's throughout his life - occasionally coming in to buy a watch, as he did in 1928, but more usually to have the timepiece he wore all his life attended to: Breguet watch no 765, an admirable minute repeater chronograph with fly-back seconds hand acquired in 1890 by the Duke of Marlborough.

Throughout most of his political career, not only was he inseparable from his favourite Cuban cigars, his timekeepers can be considered as integral to Churchill's image as his cigars.

Arthur Rubinstein (1930)

Arthur Rubinstein, probably the most distinguished pianist of our century, frequently visited the Breguet shop when passing through Paris. He owned a small collection of Breguets. The watch no 1682 with date and thermometer that he wore was exceptional on account of its extremely rare oval shape. It has a curious history: in fact, the case was manufactured by Breguet in 1822 for a Russian aristocrat, Count Panin; at the time it was an 'imitation watch', in other words a case intended simply to hold a portrait. Then, much later in 1884, the case returned to Breguet and the company was commissioned to fit a movement, thereby giving the watch its present configuration.

Breguet in Literature

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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 now 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, Mérimée, Pushkin, Balzac, Alexandre Dumas, Thackeray 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 Kuprin, Max Jacob and Patrick O'Brian.

Victor Hugo
Max Jacob
A. S. Pushkin
Patrick O'Brian
Stendhal
Honoré de Balzac
Alexandre Dumas
W. M. Thackeray
A. I. Kuprin
Prosper Mérimée
John Fowles
Jiro Asada
Henry Murger

Brequet Classique

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Whether extra-thin models with manually wound or automatic movements or complicated watches, they are all true to the technical principles, the artistry and the traditional values of the Breguet watch.

'Classique' wristwatches capture the essence of Breguet's original features. In some models, the precious materials used in the past and fired-enamel dials with Arabic numerals will delight Breguet enthusiasts.

Breguet Classique Showcase

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Classique Alarm "Le Réveil du Tsar"

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5707BA/12/9V6

"Le Réveil du Tsar"
CLASSIQUE alarm wristwatch in 18-carat yellow gold. Self-winding movement with small seconds and date. Second time-zone indicator. Alarm time and alarm power-reserve indicators. Alarm on/off indicator. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose engine. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant.

Metal: yellow gold
Calibre: 519F
Lines: 12
Caseback: sapphire
Case thickness (mm): 11.25
Case dimension (mm): 39
Jewels: 38
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 45

List Price: $29,950.00
Price: $25,457.50
You Save: $4,492.50 (15%)

Also available in white gold:

List Price: $30,750.00
Price: $26,137.50
You Save: $4,612.50 (15%)

Automatic Ultra Slim

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5157BA/11/9V6

Extra-thin Classique wristwatch in 18-carat yellow gold. Self-winding movement. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant.

Metal: yellow gold
Calibre: 502.3
Lines: 12
Caseback: sapphire
Case thickness (mm): 5.40
Case dimension (mm): 38
Jewels: 35
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 45

List Price: $14,200.00
Price: $12,070.00
You Save: $2,130.00 (15%)

5157bb/11/9v6

Also available in 18K white gold; Dial in oven-fired white enamel with Breguet Arabic numerals.

List Price: $15,100.00
Price: $12,835.00
You Save: $2,265.00 (15%)

Breguet Classique Chronograph

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5237BA/12/9V6

Manufacturers description

‘Classique’ wristwatch in 18K yellow gold. Hand-wound mechanical chronograph movement with column-wheel device. Dial in silvered 18K gold, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Centre chronograph hand.

Subdial for the seconds at 9 o’clock. 30-minute totaliser at 3 o’clock.
Secret signature. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant to 30 m (approx. 100 feet).
Model also available in 18K white and in 18K pink gold.

Specifications

Metal: yellow gold / white gold / pink gold
Calibre: 533.2
Lines: 12
Caseback: sapphire
Case thickness (mm): 10.65
Case dimension (mm): 37.00
Jewels: 21
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 48

Further information:

Case thickness: 10:65mm

List Price: $24,850.00
Price: $21,122.50
You Save: $3,727.50 (15%)

5947BA/12/9V6

Manufacturer's description

CLASSIQUE split-seconds chronograph in yellow or white gold. Manually wound movement with small seconds. 48-hour power reserve. Gold dial, engine-turned and silvered. 30-minute elapsed-time counter at 3 o’clock. Compensating balance-spring with Breguet overcoil. Sapphire-crystal caseback. Water-resistant to 30 metres.

Specifications

Metal: yellow gold / white gold
Calibre: 535N
Lines: 12
Caseback: sapphire
Case dimension (mm): 39
Jewels: 23
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 48

Further information:

Case Thickness: 12mm

Manual Wind Split Second Chronograph. Split Seconds feature controlled by a button in the center ofthe crown.

Breguet Classique Day/Date/Moonphase

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3330BA/1E/986

Manufacturer's decription:

‘Classique’ wristwatch in yellow gold. Self-winding movement indicating the date, the day and the phases and age of the moon. Off-centred chapter rings. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Available in two languages. Water-resistant.
Also in white gold.

Available with a sapphire caseback and the movement entirely engraved by hand as reference 3337BA/1E/986.

Metal: yellow gold / white gold
Calibre: 502 QSE
Lines: 12
Case thickness (mm): 6.80
Case dimension (mm): 35.80
Jewels: 35
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 46

Available in four versions:

3330ba/1e/986

Day of the week window displayed at top Left, Date Window Displayed at the top Right, Moonphase Window displayed at theTop Center. Offset Hour & Minute Dial, Roman Numeral Hour Markers. Blued "Breguet" Style Hands. 46 Hour Power Reserve.

List Price: $29,600.00
Price: $25,160.00
You Save: $4,440.00 (15%)

Style 3337ba/1e/986

Day of the week window displayed at top Left, Date Window Displayed at the top Right, Moonphase Window displayed at theTop Center. Offset Hour & Minute Dial, Roman Numeral Hour Markers. Trasparent case-back featuring the fully hand-engraved decorated movement. Blued "Breguet" Style Hands. 46 Hour Power Reserve.

List Price: $35,950.00
Price: $30,557.50
You Save: $5,392.50 (15%)

Style 3330bb/1e/986

Day of the week window displayed at top Left, Date Window Displayed at the top Right, Moonphase Window displayed at theTop Center. Offset Hour & Minute Dial, Roman Numeral Hour Markers. Blued "Breguet" Style Hands. 46 Hour Power Reserve.

List Price: $29,950.00
Price: $25,457.50
You Save: $4,492.50 (15%)

Style 3337bb/1e/986

Day of the week window displayed at top Left, Date Window Displayed at the top Right, Moonphase Window displayed at theTop Center. Offset Hour & Minute Dial, Roman Numeral Hour Markers. Trasparent case-back feturing the fully hand-engraved decorated movement. Blued "Breguet" Style Hands. 46 Hour Power Reserve.

List Price: $36,700.00
Price: $31,195.00
You Save: $5,505.00 (15%)

Classique Manual Wind - Mens

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Time in the Breguet style

5907BA/12/984

‘Classique’ wristwatch in pink gold. Hand-wound movement with small seconds. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant.

Metal: pink gold
Calibre: 510 DR
Lines: 11 1/2
Caseback: sapphire
Case thickness (mm): 7.50
Case dimension (mm): 34.60
Jewels: 23
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 95

List Price:$11,250.00
Price:$9,562.50
You Save:$1,687.50 (15%)

Also in white gold at $9,817.50.

Breguet Classique Power Reserve 3130BA/11/986

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3130BA/11/986

‘Classique’ wristwatch in yellow gold. Self-winding movement with date, power-reserve indicator, the phases and age of the moon. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Water-resistant.
Also in white or pink gold.

Metal: yellow gold
Calibre: 502 DR
Lines: 12
Case thickness (mm): 7.35
Case dimension (mm): 35.50
Jewels: 37
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 46

List Price: $28,950.00
Price: $24,607.50
You Save: $4,342.50 (15%)

Click on picture below for larger image:

Also in yellow gold with gold bracelet

3130ba.11.aa0

List Price: $38,900.00
Price: $33,065.00
You Save: $5,835.00 (15%)

Also in white gold with white gold bracelet

3130bb.11.ba0

List Price: $41,700.00
Price: $35,445.00
You Save: $6,255.00 (15%)

Breguet Classique Power Reserve 3680ba/11/986

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CLASSIQUE wristwatch in white gold. Self-winding movement with date and power-reserve indicator. Off-centred hours. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Water-resistant.

Metal: yellow gold
Calibre: 591 DR
Lines: 11 1/2
Case thickness (mm): 8.30
Case dimension (mm): 35.5
Jewels: 23
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 38

List Price: $24,800.00
Price: $21,080.00
You Save: $3,720.00 (15%)

Also available in white gold:

List Price: $25,650.00
Price: $21,802.50
You Save: $3,847.50 (15%)

Breguet Classique Regulator 5187br/15/986

2007-12-26T05:51:00.005-08:00

CLASSIQUE watch in 18K rose gold with a regulator dial. Automatic movement. 38-hour power-reserve. 4Hz balance frequency. Dial in silvered 18K gold, hand-engraved on a rose engine. Secret signature. Off-set chapter ring for the hours at 12 o’clock. Central minutes. Date aperture at 6 o’clock. Sapphire-crystal caseback. Water-resistant to 30 metres. Also available in 950 platinum.

Metal: pink gold
Calibre: 591QSHD
Lines: 11 1/2
Caseback: sapphire
Case dimension (mm): 35.5
Jewels: 25
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 38

List Price: $16,450.00
Price: $13,982.50
You Save: $2,467.50 (15%)

Click on picture for larger image:

Also in platinum

List Price: $22,000.00
Price: $18,700.00
You Save: $3,300.00 (15%)

Breguet Classique Retrograde Seconds

2007-12-26T05:51:00.003-08:00

5207bb/12/9v6

Manufacturer's description:

CLASSIQUE watch in 18-carat white gold. Self-winding movement. Retrograde small seconds at 6 o’clock and power-reserve indicator. Off-centred chapter ring. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose engine. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant.

Specifications:

Metal: white gold
Calibre: 516DRSR
Lines: 11 ½
Case thickness (mm): 9.85
Case dimension (mm): 39
Jewels: 34
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 65

List Price: $18,150.00
Price: $15,427.50
You Save: $2,722.50 (15%)

Breguet Classique Grandes Complications

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Click on picture to see larger image:

Time and beyond

Breguet's Grand Complications pay tribute to the two-century-old equivalence between Breguet watchmaking and advanced mechanical science.

Building a grand complication confronts watchmakers with a maze of technical difficulties that challenge not only their skills but also their powers of invention. Thinking and working in four dimensions, generations of Breguet watchmakers have demonstrated the summit of their art in repeaters, perpetual calendars and tourbillon watches. Breguet protects its latest developments in perpetual calendars with two patents.

Breguet Classique Grandes Complications Tourbillon Automatic Regulator

5307BA/12/9V6

Manufacturer's description:

CLASSIQUE GRANDE COMPLICATION wristwatch in 18K yellow gold with automatic tourbillon. Automatic, engraved movement. Engine-turned regulator dial in silvered, 18K gold. Chapter ring with Roman hours, offset at 12 o’clock. Central minutes. Tourbillon at 6 o’clock. Secret signatures. Engine-turned caseback with sapphire crystal. 120 hours power reserve. 3Hz balance frequency. Water-resistant to 30 metres. Also available in 950 platinum.

Specifications:

Metal: yellow gold / platinum
Calibre: 587
Lines: 12 1/2
Caseback: sapphire
Case dimension (mm): 39
Jewels: 31
Water (m): 30

List Price: $93,500.00
Price: $79,475.00
You Save: $14,025.00 (15%)

Breguet Heritage

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In harmony with time

Adapting late 18th-century styling concepts to the shapes of the 21st century, demands a great deal from design engineers, casemakers and dial-makers. But the perfect arcs of the case and the fragile, engine-turned dial show the fluting of the caseband and curl of the horns to their best advantage.

Breguet makes 'Héritage' watches for men and women. Some models are set with diamonds, while others have complicated movements - notably a self-winding chronograph.

Breguet Heritage Showcase

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Breguet Heritage Chronograph

5460BA/12/996

Manufacturer's decription

‘Héritage’ chronograph in yellow gold. Curved tonneau-shaped case. Self-winding movement with small seconds and date. 30-minute and 12-hour totalisers. Curved dial of silvered gold, hand-engraved on a rose-engine. Water-resistant.
Also in white gold.

Specifications

Metal: yellow gold
Calibre: 550
Lines: 10 1/2
Case thickness (mm): 10.75
Case dimension (mm): 38.70 x 32.80
Jewels: 38
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 45

List Price: $23,950.00
Price: $20,357.50
You Save: $3,592.50 (15%)

Availability: In stock

Also in platinum:

5460pt/12/996

List Price: $34,200.00
Price: $29,070.00
You Save: $5,130.00 (15%)

Availability: In stock

Breguet Marine

2007-12-26T05:50:00.005-08:00

'Marine' watches express the Breguet ideals in a robust leisure watch designed to meet modern demands for comfort, practicality and style.

The 'Marine' watches inherit all the qualities laid down by A.-L. Breguet as chronometer-maker to the French navy. A reinforced case and protected crown make the 'Marine' watches safe in action, while their workmanship and styling show that elegance always upstages fashion.

Breguet Marine Showcase

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Breguet Type XX

2007-12-26T05:50:00.003-08:00

Designed in the 1950s for the French naval air arm, the 'Type XX' returns to the Breguet collection in a civilian version fitted with a self-winding movement. Its chronograph, however, retains the fly-back (retour en vol) needed for flying search patterns.

Its uncompromising looks and strong build have made the 'Type XX' popular among those seeking an original and technical sports-watch. Breguet makes 'Type XX' watches in two versions: the 'Aéronavale' and the 'Transatlantique', which has a date indication. Versions of the 'Transatlantique' are also made for women who appreciate technical elegance.

Breguet Type XX Showcase

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La Tradition Breguet

2007-12-26T05:50:00.001-08:00

Inviting a journey through time and beyond, the TRADITION line forms a vibrant salute to the memory of Breguet.

Inspired by the legendary Souscription watches of A.-L. Breguet, Tradition timepieces suggest both a return to the brand’s origins and a vision of its future. Aptly reconciling established and avant-garde styling, their dial face accommodates horological complications in trim, aesthetically sweeping compositions.

Masterly expressions of time’s elusive complexity, Tradition timepieces deftly capture its innermost spirit.

7027BA/11/9V6

Tradition wristwatch in 18-carat yellow gold. Hand-wound movement with power-reserve indicated above and underneath. Off-centred silvered-gold dial, hand engraved on a rose-engine. Breguet overcoil. Sapphire caseback.

Click on picture (right) for larger image

Metal: yellow gold
Calibre: 507DR
Lines: 14 1/2
Caseback: sapphire
Case thickness (mm): 11.8
Case dimension (mm): 37
Jewels: 24
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 50

List Price: $21,500.00
Price: $18,275.00
You Save: $3,225.00 (15%)

Breguet "Reine de Naples

2007-12-26T03:58:00.001-08:00

Breguet created the first wristwatch for a queen.

It's perfectly natural for Breguet stay true to women. Its watches have fascinated and enchanted some of the most prominent female figures of history - Queen Marie-Antoinette of France, the Marquise de Condorcet and Empress Josephine among them.

Breguet's new collection, Reine de Naples, is inspired by an early bracelet watch A.-L. Breguet created for Bonaparte's sister Caroline, queen of Naples. With their customary care and precision, Breguet's watchmakers have created a symbol of feminine refinement in a contemporary jewellery watch.

After 200 years of practice, Breguet knows that you need to be a poet as well as a magician to capture the heart of a queen. The Reine de Naples watch demonstrates Breguet's uncanny skills at touching a woman's most secret emotions and awakening subtle desires.

Breguet "Reine de Naples" Power Reserve

2007-12-26T03:57:00.000-08:00

8908BA/52/864D00D

Manufacturer's description:

Reine de Naples wristwatch in yellow gold. Bezel set with 128 diamonds weighing approx. 0,83cts. Self-winding movement with small seconds. Power-reserve and phases of the moon indicators. Silvered gold dial, hand-engraved on a rose-engine and partly in white natural mother-of-pearl. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant. Also in white gold.

Specification:

Metal: yellow gold
Calibre: 537 DRL1
Lines: 8 3/4 + 13 1/4 + 9 3/4
Caseback: sapphire
Case thickness (mm): 10.05
Case dimension (mm): 28.45 x 36.50
Jewels: 23
Water (m): 30
Power (hours): 40

Further information:

A most stunning wristwatch. Bezel set with 128 top quality round diamonds, weighing aprox. 0.83 cts. Black Satin Strap. Features a Power Reserve indicator & a Moonphase Window at the top center of the dial. Beautiful Hand Engraved (engine-turned) Silver & Natural Mother of Pearl Dial. Roman Numeral Hour Markers. Blued "Breguet" Style Hands, Offset Small Seconds hand at the 6 o'clock position. 40 Hour Power Reserve.

8908ba/v2/864.d00d

Product Description

A most stunning wristwatch. Bezel set with 128 top quality round diamonds, weighing aprox. 0.83 cts. Black Satin Strap. Features a Power Reserve indicator & a Moonphase Window at the top center of the dial. Beautiful Hand Engraved (engine-turned) Silver & Blue Mother of Pearl Dial. Roman Numeral Hour Markers. Blued "Breguet" Style Hands, Offset Small Seconds hand at the 6 o'clock position. 40 Hour Power Reserve.

Specifications:

Size Ladies
Case Material 18kt Yellow Gold
Dial Color Mother of Pearl
Bracelet / Strap Satin
Clasp Type Deployant Clasp
Movement Automatic
Crystal Scratch Resistant Sapphire
Case Back Transparent
Water Resistant 30m/100ft.
Case Diameter 36.50mm x 28.45mm
Case Thickness 10.05mm
Warranty All papers included

8908ba/w2/864.d00d

Product description:

A most stunning wristwatch. Bezel set with 128 top quality round diamonds, weighing aprox. 0.83 cts. Black Satin Strap. Features a Power Reserve indicator & a Moonphase Window at the top center of the dial. Beautiful Hand Engraved (engine-turned) Silver & Pink Mother of Pearl Dial. Roman Numeral Hour Markers. Blued "Breguet" Style Hands, Offset Small Seconds hand at the 6 o'clock position. 40 Hour Power Reserve.

Specifications:

Size Ladies
Case Material 18kt Yellow Gold
Dial Color Mother of Pearl
Bracelet / Strap Satin
Clasp Type Deployant Clasp
Movement Automatic
Crystal Scratch Resistant Sapphire
Case Back Transparent
Water Resistant 30m/100ft.
Case Diameter 36.50mm x 28.45mm
Case Thickness 10.05mm
Warranty All papers included