Breguet
L'Abbaye, Switzerland · Est. 1775
Founded by Abraham-Louis Breguet
Founded in Paris in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, widely considered the greatest watchmaker in history, Breguet invented or developed the tourbillon, the self-winding mechanism, and the shock-setting for balance springs. Now part of the Swatch Group, the maison produces watches in its Paris and Le Sentier ateliers drawing on over 250 years of horological heritage.
- Founded
- 1775
- Headquarters
- L'Abbaye, Switzerland
- Group
- Swatch Group
- Price Segment
- Ultra
- Status
- Active
Key Collections
- Classique — Core collection embodying Breguet's traditional watchmaking codes with guilloché dials and Breguet hands.
- Marine — Sporty luxury collection inspired by Breguet's historical role as horloger de la Marine Royale.
- Tradition — Open-dial watches revealing the movement architecture, inspired by subscription watches of the 18th century.
- Type XX — Aviation chronograph line tracing its lineage to cockpit instruments made for the French military in the 1950s.
Timeline
- 1775 — Founded by Abraham-Louis Breguet at Quai de l'Horloge, Paris
- 1780 — Invented the Perpétuelle, the first self-winding watch
- 1801 — Patented the tourbillon complication
- 1810 — Created the first wristwatch (No. 2639) for Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples
- 1815 — Appointed horloger de la Marine Royale (Royal Navy watchmaker)
- 1999 — Acquired by the Swatch Group under Nicolas G. Hayek
- 2020 — Celebrated 245 years with new Tradition and Marine releases
- 2025 — Celebrated 250th anniversary. Classique Souscription 2025 won the Aiguille d Or at GPHG 2025. Launched Experimentale 1 with world first 10 Hz tourbillon.
- 2026 — Reinvented Tradition collection with Grand Feu enamel dials, Arabic numerals, and retrograde seconds across new references.
Frequently Asked Questions about Breguet
- What did Abraham-Louis Breguet invent?
- Breguet invented the tourbillon (1801), the first self-winding watch (1780), the first wristwatch (1810), and pioneered the overcoil hairspring, shock protection, and guilloché dials.
- Who owns Breguet today?
- Breguet has been part of the Swatch Group since 1999.
- What are Breguet hands?
- Breguet hands are a distinctive design with open-tipped moon shapes near the ends, invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet and now widely used across the industry.