Breguet

Baselworld 2013 – The World Watch and Jewellery Show is near and scheduled from April 25 to May 2, 2013.

Luxury watchmaker Breguet has just announced the release of their new version of the iconic pilot’s watch, the stunning Type XXII – in 18ct rose gold. Type XXII 3880 is the first series-made mechanical chronograph whose frequency has been raised to 10 Hz.

This luxury watch houses a Breguet chronograph movement with silicon escapement and flat balance spring. The frequency of the Type XXII has been increased to 10 Hertz – or 72,000 vibrations per hour.

By using silicon, Breguet’s Type XXII 3880 timepiece offer more lightweight components and avoids the lubrication issues that are produced by higher frequency watches.

At 3 o’clock is a 24-hour night-and-day indicator, indicating either daytime or nighttime in the area covered by the second time-zone.

Featuring a classic 18K rose gold casing along with a bi-rotational bezel, this new, self-winding Type XXII chronograph houses a flyback function with a totaliser that returns to zero. It then instantly re-starts all in the same operation. Therefore the start function and readout are twice as precise.

The watch’s dial features a second time-zone indicator with an aperture for a date calendar. Breguet’s Type XXII watch is individually signed and numbered and also comes fitted with an integrated, brow in color leather strap.

The watch diameter is 44 mm and has a screw-locked crown. The luxury timepiece is also water-resistant to 10 bar (100 m).

Breguet No. 2667

Montres Breguet has rapidly moved into the world number one position in luxury watchmaking since it was acquired by the Swatch Group in 1999.

Now Breguet achieves another major milestone by acquiring two exceptional Breguet watches.

The two Breguet antique watches were bought by the Breguet Museum and its President, Marc A. Hayek at Christie’s auction in Geneva Switzerland on May 14th.

The two stunning Breguet watches made their mark on Fine Watchmaking history, by setting a record purchase price of nearly 7 million Swiss francs.

These two Breguet masterpieces are the most expensive ever purchased in Breguet’s history, and the costliest Breguet antique watches ever sold at auction to date.

The first watch (shown above) , no. 2667 dating from 1814, was sold for a staggering price of over 4 million Swiss francs. This thin pocket watch with two movements is based on the chronometer principle (resonance) and is an extremely rare timepiece that was made in 18-carat yellow gold and features unsurpassed delicacy and elegance. The antique watch is an extraordinary timepiece that reflects both Breguet’s refined aesthetic sense and his innovative inventive genius.

Breguet No. 4111

The second antique timepiece, no. 4111, is a thin flat equation-of-time and repeater watch, built on the chronometer principle. The Breguet watch repeats hours, half-hours, quarter-hours, and half-quarters. This “Grande Complication” watch dates from 1827 and was purchased for more than 2.5 million Swiss francs. It has an annual calendar as well as a manual perpetual calendar, and also displays mean and apparent solar time. This antique Breguet watch was manufactured extremely thin, a fascinating technical feat in a “Grande Complication” watch.

Breguet

Breguet has become such an intrinsic part of not only European culture, but the worldwide luxury watch industry. Breguet’s emblematic “Tradition” collection is being enriched this year with an original model in 18-carat rose gold.

This “Grande Complication” timepiece features a tourbillon, fusee and chain transmission, and a Breguet balance spring in silicon, joins the existing models in yellow gold and platinum. Inspired by the legendary souscription watches created by A.-L. Breguet, this objet d’art symbolizes both a return to roots and a resolutely forward-looking brand vision.

The Tradition Breguet 7047 Tourbillon Fusee luxury watch’s pure, modern aesthetic sets the stage for the tourbillon and the fusee and chain transmission located on the upper part of the mainplate. This sculptural piece highlights the contrast and relief effects, giving vibrant life to each component. These technical accomplishments symbolising Breguet’s horological excellence are duly protected by four patents.

Back in 2006, Breguet presented the first watches with silicon balance spring and escapement. The flat silicon balance springs, made using a raised terminal curve, also known as a “Breguet overcoil”, were recognised as an authentic feat by the watch industry. The rose gold re-edition of the “Tradition 7047PT” also features a silicon Breguet balance spring, as well as a new black galvanic-coated and engine-turned 18-carat gold dial.

This highly technical new rose gold model is a source of legitimate pride for the Manufacture Breguet, which remains firmly in the vanguard of research and development. Not content with merely inventing, it also displays the ability of the House to combine technological innovation with aesthetic appeal.

Tradition Breguet 7047 Tourbillon Fusee, Rose Gold Watch Features:

– Case in 18-carat rose gold with a finely fluted caseband. Sapphire crystal back. Diameter 41 mm. Rounded lugs welded to the case, screw-secured spring-bars. Water-resistant to 3 bar (30 m).

– Dial in black-coated engine-turned 18-carat gold, off-centred at 7 o’clock. Individually numbered and signed Breguet. Chapter ring with Roman numerals. 60-second tourbillon at 1 o’clock. Polished steel “moon” tip Breguet hands.

– Movement mechanical hand-wound with tourbillon, anthracite coating. Numbered and signed Breguet. Cal. 569. 16 lignes. 43 jewels. 50-hour power reserve with power-reserve indication on the barrel drum. Constant torque ensured throughout the running of the watch thanks to the fusee and chain transmission. Titanium upper bridge of the tourbillon carriage Breguet type tourbillon bar. Straight-line Swiss lever escapement. Breguet titanium balance with four gold adjustment screws. Breguet silicon balance spring, 2.5 Hz. Adjusted in 6 positions. Alligator leather strap.

Caroline Murat – Queen of Naples

Luxury watchmaker Montres Breguet, will pay tribute to the Queen of Naples through an exhibition held in Geneva’s Cité du Temps.

The exhibition in Cite du Temps celebrates the 200th anniversary of the creation of the first wristwatch in horological history.

Ordered in 1810 by Caroline Murat, sister of Napoleon and Queen of Naples, the wristwatch was completed and delivered in 1812. In addition, Breguet also plans to immortalize the 10th anniversary of its stellar Reine de Naples ladies’ watch collection.

The Queen of Naples long admired the work of Abraham-Louis Breguet, and ordered a number of watches from him, including the aforementioned first wristwatch.

The No. 2639 model was made for Caroline Murat but has never been found, creating an unsolved timepiece mystery. The Breguet company archives has retraced this historical retrospective of the unprecedented creation of this unique wristwatch.

The exhibition in Cité du Temps will immerse show visitors into a feminine atmosphere, where they gradually discover the history of this watch model and all its fascinating mysteries.

Breguet’s submission for Only Watch 2011 is Réveil Musical, an intriguing alarm watch that blends music-making with watch-making technologies.

Réveil Musical houses a patented music box-type mechanism which enables it to play “Castle in the sky” as its alarm, either on demand or at a pre-set time. When the striking mechanism – in this case the alarm – is activated, the dial rotates, bringing the guilloche child’s hand closer to that of the adult’s, as positioned between one and two o’clock on the flange. Casted in blued steel, the Breguet hollow <moon> tip hands add a dose of feminine grace to the timepiece.

Réveil Musical is powered by the Calibre 0900 and features an astounding power reserve of 55 hours. Casted in 18-carat white gold, the case is secured to the straps by way of rounded and soldered lugs. An exquisite musical stave is finely etched on the caseband, while the caseback is engraved with the inscription “piece unique” for Only Watch 2011.

Courtesy of: Breguet

Anticipation is growing as watch connoisseurs await the Baselworld 2010 show to be held this Spring

Let’s preview fine watchmaker Breguet’s 2010 collection and the Tradition 7047 Fusee Tourbillon in Platinum.

This exceptional timepiece features precision movement that’s fashioned in an anthracite-toned metal alloy, and comes complete with a new Breguet silicon balance spring.

The case is round in 950 Platinum with finely fluted caseband. Sapphire caseback. Water-resistant to 3 bar (30m). Dial in silvered 18K gold, hand-engraved on a rose engine off-centered at 7 o’clock. Also each piece is individually numbered and signed.

Back in 1795, Breguet developed the “Breget overcoil” spring. Even to the day, it’s still clearly the gold reference in terms of balance springs.

Breguet introduced its first wristwatches with silicon balance spring and escapement in 2006.

Today, the new Breguet silicon balance spring is featured in the Breguet Tradition 7047 model and comes included with a tourbillon and fusee-and-chain transmission.

Inspired by the design of the first tourbillon-equipped pocket watches devised by Breguet, a platinum version is now available fitted with a movement fashioned in an anthracite-toned metal alloy.

Courtesy of: The Breguet Boutique

The Marie Antoinette No. 1160 watch, A.L. Breguet’s most famous creation, will be here in the United States for the very first time.

Marie Antoinette No 1160 is an amazing watch. It was the watch meant for a Queen. It is the watch that became the Queen of all timepieces.

This incredible watch, usually displayed in the Breguet museum at Place Vendome in Paris, will be showcased for two limited exclusive engagements in the U.S. at the Beverly Hills and New York Breguet Boutiques.

The story of the watch began in 1783. It was named after Marie-Antoinette, the young Austrian aristocrat who married King of France, Louis XVI and later became the Queen of France and Navarre. Commissioned by one of the Queen’s most fervent admirers, A.L. Breguet was given the task of creating a unique gift for the Queen.

It took 44 years for the watch to come to life. Breguet had created the watch of all watches with a minute-repeater, a full perpetual calendar, an equation of time, a power reserve indicator, a bimetallic thermometer, a large independent seconds hand and a small center seconds hand, a lever escapement, a gold balance spring and a parachute anti-shock device.

The Queen met her demise 34 years before the watch was finally completed in 1827 by A.L. Breguet’s son.

The watch was acquired by the Marquis de Garoye of Paris and changed hands a few times through history until it was bequeathed to the L. A. Meyer Museum in Jerusalem by Sir David Lionel Salomons’ daughter. In 1983, the Marie-Antoinette was stolen from the Museum.

Driven by his passion for Breguet, Nicolas G. Hayek, CEO of Breguet decided in 2005 to commission the Breguet Manufacture located in the Vallee de Joux to reproduce the vanished Marie-Antoinette watch, to be called the No 1160. N. G. Hayek, also Chairman of the Swatch Group went a step further by becoming the major patron of the restoration of the Petit Trianon, Marie-Antoinette’s favorite hidden place when alive.

The whereabouts of the original watch were unknown until November 2007 when it enigmatically reappears in Tel Aviv. Mysterious timing of the destiny of the Marie-Antoinette as the No 1160 was about to be unveiled.

In April 2008, Breguet proudly presented its Marie-Antoinette in a wood box made of oak from the gardens of the Petit Trianon. This incredible watch, usually displayed in the Breguet museum at Place Vendome in Paris, will be showcased for two limited exclusive engagements in the US at the Beverly Hills and New York Breguet Boutiques. This is an unprecedented opportunity for the American public to have a glimpse into watch making and history in the making. The journey of the Marie-Antoinette keeps on writing itself …

The Breguet Boutique
280 No. Rodeo Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
P: 310 860 9911
Viewing Dates and Hours:
13, 15 & 16 October 2009 (10-6 pm)
14 October 2009 (10-2 pm)

The Breguet Boutique
779 Madison Avenue
New York, NY10065
P: 212 288 4014
Viewing Dates and Hours:
19 October 2009 (2-6 pm)
20 & 21 October 2009 (10-6 pm)