Breguet Watches – Class personified

Jul 6
08:48

2013

Yogesh Giri

Yogesh Giri

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The Swiss are known for their watch making skills since centuries. They have produced the most intelligent and luxurious watches the world has ever known.

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No wonder when it comes to wearing watches,Breguet Watches – Class personified Articles all the elite class from the world over rely on Breguet watches. The credit for making the timepieces an epitome of luxury and elegance goes to Abraham Louis Breguet. 

 

Abraham Breguet is the father of Breguet watches who was born in 1747 in Switzerland, and lived until 1823. His achievements during his lifetime and his contribution in the history of watches make him the greatest watchmaker ever. At a very young age, he moved to Paris and started producing his greatest work. Today’s modern wristwatches are his brainchild. He invented and perfected the automatic winding system, invented stop protection and repeat mechanism. He also developed the slim profile watches. He made the world’s first wristwatch in 1810 for Carolina Murat, Napolean’s sister. His inventions and designs for both hands and numerals are still seen in all the watches.

 

He became favorite of the French politicians. He produced many watches that were worn by Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and other luminaries. He worked for Napoleon and then for Louis XVIII. During this time, he supplied Breguet watches to several eminent personalities of Europe. His introduced the subscription watches for which his distinguished patrons had to pay for the timepieces in advance.

 

He was one of the members of the Board of Longitude, and was appointed as a chronometer maker to the French Navy. He invented the tourbillion watches that rotate the escapement of the watch within the movement, defying the effects of gravity. The invention proved to the greatest achievement in the history of watch making. His contribution to social, scientific and military life is marvelous.

 

Breguet’s association with the French Navy is reflected in the Marine watches produced in 1999. The robust look of these timepieces was different from other classic dress watches. The watches for marine collection have a heavy case and cramped guard. They are easily identifiable due to the signature details on the dial. The case of the watches is coin-edged and resembles Breguet’s pocket watches. The watches have alligator straps fixed by gold screws. The dial is 18 carat yellow gold hand engraved and with a touch of silver powder on the surface. The blue hands in the watches are typical to Breguet’s hands with a pointed tip. These Breguet watches also have serial numbers on the dial whit same font type that matches with the letters at the back of the case.

 

When Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997, 116 watches of this series were produced to mark the historical movement. Ninety Seven of the total watches were made in yellow gold and the rest in white gold. The distinguishing feature of these iconic watches is their engraving style on the dial. The hour and second hands are positioned in such a way on the dial that they touch the appropriate mark on the corner. The historical date is seen at the 12 O’clock position with Breguet’s signature engraved  at either side, and the serial number at the bottom of the dial.

 

The use of signature on the dial was an effort to give a tough time to the fake watchmakers, since Breguet watches are mostly copied due to their saleability and demand in the market. Most of the watches manufactured by Breguet Company come with the miniature signature printed on the dial. At the back of the watch, one can see the rotor and the movement. The serial number of the watches is engraved at the top on the back of the case.

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