Breguet (brand): Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Swiss-French luxury watch manufacturer}}

| logo = Breguet logoBreguet_(brand)_Logo.pngsvg

| foundation = {{start date and age|1775}}

'''Breguet''' ({{IPA|fr|bʁeɡɛ}}) is a [[Swiss watch|Swiss]]-[[France|French]] [[Luxury good|luxury]] [[watch]], [[clock]] and jewelry manufacturer founded by [[Abraham-Louis Breguet]] in [[Paris]] in 1775.<ref name=":19" /> Since 1999, it has been a subsidiary of the Swiss [[the Swatch Group|Swatch Group]].<ref name=":4" /> Headquartered in [[L'Abbaye, Switzerland]], Breguet is one of the oldest surviving watchmaking brands and a pioneer of numerous watchmaking technologies such as the [[tourbillon]], which was inventeddeveloped into a practical solution by Abraham Breguet in 1801.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|url=https://www.breguet.com/en/history/inventions/tourbillon|title=Tourbillon {{!}} Breguet|website=www.breguet.com|access-date=2019-01-06}}</ref> Abraham Breguet also invented and produced the world's first [[self-winding watch]] (the ''Perpétuelle'') in 1780, as well as the world's first [[wristwatch]] in 1810 (the Breguet No.2639, for [[Caroline Bonaparte]], [[Kingdom of Naples (Napoleonic)|Queen of Naples]]).<ref name=":15">{{Cite web|url=https://museum.seiko.co.jp/en/knowledge/episode/episode_03/|title=Abraham-Louis Breguet {{!}} Timepiece Luminaries {{!}} THE SEIKO MUSEUM|website=museum.seiko.co.jp|access-date=2019-01-06}}</ref><ref name=":16">{{Cite web|url=https://www.breguet.com/en/history/inventions/self-winding|title=Self-winding {{!}} Breguet|website=www.breguet.com|access-date=2019-01-06}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web|url=https://www.breguet.com/en/history/inventions/first-wristwatch|title=First wristwatch {{!}} Breguet|website=www.breguet.com|access-date=2018-12-20}}</ref>

Breguet is a highly regarded watch manufacturer.<ref name=":19">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hautehorlogerie.org/en/brands/brand/h/breguet/|title=Brand - Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie|website=www.hautehorlogerie.org|access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/breguet-luxury-watches/breguet-in-films-and-literary-tributes/|title=Marking time: one watchmaker’swatchmaker's literary tributes|date=2017-06-14|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-01-18|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://journal.hautehorlogerie.org/en/breguet-the-expression-of-being/|title=Breguet: the Expression of Being – FHH Journal|website=journal.hautehorlogerie.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/the-breguet-classique-chronometrie-7727|title=A Week On The Wrist: The Breguet Classique Chronométrie 7727|date=14 January 2016|first=Benjamin|last=Clymer|website=HODINKEE|language=en|access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.luxury-insider.com/luxury-news/2012/06/breguet-ranked-most-prestigious-among-pentamillionaires|title=Breguet Ranked Most Prestigious Among Pentamillionaires|date=2012-06-06|website=Luxury Insider|language=en|access-date=2019-01-18|archive-date=8 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608224919/https://www.luxury-insider.com/luxury-news/2012/06/breguet-ranked-most-prestigious-among-pentamillionaires|url-status=dead}}</ref> Over the years, notable Breguet patrons and timepiece owners include Emperor of the French [[Napoléon]] Bonaparte, [[King George III]], [[Queen Victoria]], [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexandre I of Russia]], [[Ettore Bugatti]], [[Sir Winston Churchill]], [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]], [[Gioachino Rossini]], [[Arthur Rubinstein]] and so on.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.breguet.com/en/timeline/1824-1863/distinguished-patrons|title=Distinguished Patrons (1824 - 1863) Timeline {{!}} Breguet|website=www.breguet.com|access-date=2019-01-17}}</ref><ref name=":9" /><ref name=":17" /> The ''Breguet & Fils, Paris No. 2667 (1814)'' [[pocket watch]] is among the [[List of most expensive watches sold at auction|most expensive watches sold at auction]], fetching US$4.69 million (CHF 4,339,000) in Geneva in May 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.worldtempus.com/article/industry-news/business/christies-record-price-for-any-breguet-watch-12598.html|title=Christie's - Record Price For Any Breguet Watch - Business - WorldTempus|website=en.worldtempus.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christies.com/Important-Watches-23897.aspx|title=Important Watches|language=en|access-date=2018-11-23}}</ref> The ''Breguet Sympathique'' C''lock'' ''No.128 & 5009'' ''(Duc d'Orléans Breguet Sympathique)''), is currently the most expensive Breguet timepiece ever sold at auction, fetching US$6.8 million in New York in December 2012.<ref name=":20">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/important-watches-n08882/lot.124.html|title=The Duc d'Orléans Breguet Sympathique|website=Sotheby's|access-date=2019-02-17}}</ref><ref name=":21">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonydemarco/2012/12/05/rare-breguet-clock-sell-for-record-6-8-million/|title=Rare Breguet Clock Sells For Record $6.8 Million|last=DeMarco|first=Anthony|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-02-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/breguet-clock-docking-pocket-watch-record-sothebys-new-york|title=Breguet Clock With Docking Pocket Watch Re-Sets Record For A Clock At Auction, Fetching $6.8 Million at Sotheby's New York|date=5 December 2012|website=Hodinkee|language=en|access-date=2019-02-18}}</ref>

[[File:Abraham -Louis Breguet 02(young), painted portrait, circa 1800.jpg|thumb|Abraham-Louis Breguet|alt=|226x226px]]

From 1870 to 1970, Breguet was owned by the English Brown family. The Brown family were of English origin, Edward Brown was prominent factory manager who acquired Breguet from Abraham-Louis’ grandson, Louis-François, an engineer. Brown managed the brand through the turbulent French politics of the late 19th century. It was only after Edward’s death that the firm saw its sales rise near the levels it enjoyed before 1870. Edward’s son, Edouard, took over the business until 1912 when his brother Henry took over.<ref>"{{Cite web |date=2019-10-30 |title=THE SECOND BREGUET FAMILY." Montres- Publiques,Coronet 10/30/2019,- Rolex Stories |url=https://montrespubliquescoron.comet/1minute-reads/the-second-breguet-family |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Coronet |language=en-US}}</ref> After the Brown family, the ownership changed hands several times during the [[quartz crisis]] in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1976, Breguet's then-owner [[Chaumet]] closed its French factory and moved production to the [[Vallée de Joux]] in Switzerland.

* In 1790, invented the ''Pare-chute'', one of the world's first shock protection systems.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.breguet.com/en/history/inventions/pare-chute|title=Pare-chute {{!}} Breguet|website=www.breguet.com|access-date=2019-01-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Basics Of Shock Resistance {{!}} Crown Watch Blog |url=http://www.crownwatchblog.com/how-it-works/the-basics-of-shock-resistance |titleaccess-date=The Basics Of Shock2019-01-17 Resistance {{!}} Crown Watch Blog|last=Contributor|website=www.crownwatchblog.com |language=en-gb|access-date=2019-01-17}}</ref>

*Classique: Simple, Grandes Complications – popular round pieces, usually with reeded casebands and soldered lugs;

**The Classique [[Tourbillon]] Extra-Flat, available in rose gold or platinum.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Insider: Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Flat ref. 5367|url=https://www.watchcollectinglifestyle.com/home/breguet-classique-tourbillon-extra-flat-ref-5367-review|access-date=2020-07-14|website=WATCH COLLECTING LIFESTYLE|language=en-US}}</ref>

|File:Breguet classique 9067-P4140420-black.jpg|Breguet classiqueClassique 9067 (hour and date indicator, golden bezel)

*[[Alexander Pushkin]], Russian poet<ref>

=== Entrepreneurs Athlete===

*[[Fuad I of Egypt]], King of [[Egypt]]<ref name=":17" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=6102736|title=Breguet. A fine and rare lady’slady's platinum, enamel, diamond and emerald-set rectangular wristwatch with certificate, made for King Fouad I of Egypt , SIGNED BREGUET, NO. 773, MADE IN 1925|website=www.christies.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-18}}</ref>