Breguet Classique

The Breguet brand has a long, fascinating history. Abraham Louis Breguet founded the Montres Breguet watch workshop nealy 250 years ago in 1775. For a long time the company was based in Paris, but today you'll find it in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland.

In 1780 Breguet pioneered the use of an automatic winding mechanism that worked with the help of a flywheel. This was a major breakthrough, and another followed in 1783 when he developed an integrated chimer spring to sound out the hours. Just a few years later, in 1790, Breguet astonished his fellow watchmakers with the “pare-chute”, a forerunner of modern shock protection devices.

In 1801, the company received a patent from the French Ministry of the Interior for inventing the tourbillon, which even today ranks as one of the most elegantly complex watch complications ever conceived. Last but not least, Breguet was one of the pioneers of wristwatches, creating a timepiece for the wrist of Caroline Murat, the Queen of Naples, in 1810.

The Breguet Classique lives up to its name with classic elegance The Breguet Classique collection reflects the long and distinguished history of watchmaking at the Maison Breguet. Buyers can expect watchmaking finesse and precision as well as unique design. Sophisticated complications, automatic movements and extra flat casings are manufactured using the same sorts of precious materials that would have been employed in the past. Offering superb examples of the chronograph (Ref. 5238BB / 10 / 9V6 DD00), alarm function (Ref. 5707BA / 12 / 9V) and perpetual calendar (Ref. 5327BA / 1E / 9V6), the Breguet Classique collection is a veritable masterclass in fine watchmaking.

One of the collection's flagship models is the Breguet Classique (Ref. 5930BA / 12/986 yellow gold, 5930BB / 12/986 white gold) with mechanical automatic movement. The wristwatch has a hand-engraved dial and flywheel made of gold. A secret signature – which the founder of the brand ingeniously introduced to foil counterfeiters – is also hidden somewhere on the dial. A luxurious leather bracelet adds the final touch to an appearance that's classically, timelessly harmonious.

Numerous historical figures have worn Breguet watches, helping to guarantee the brand's continuing fame and prestige from era to era across the centuries. Napoléon Bonaparte had three pocket watches and a table clock from Breguet. The German natural scientist Alexander von Humboldt took his Breguet pocket watch with him on gruelling expeditions. The Italian opera composer Rossini, the Polish pianist Arthur Rubinstein, Sir Winston Churchill – they were all Breguet customers, appreciating the timepieces not only for their elegance but also for their precision and reliability.

Today's celebrities are equally enthusiastic about Breguet watches. To give just one example, Robert de Niro wears a Breguet Classique Automatic (Ref. 5197BA) in the hit movie Limitless.