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B reguet is a name synonymous with horological innovation and timeless elegance, boasting a legacy that dates back to its founding by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1775. Established in Paris, Breguet quickly earned a reputation as one of the world’s greatest watchmakers, revolutionizing the industry with groundbreaking inventions like the tourbillon and the first self-winding watch, the Perpétuelle.
With a distinguished clientele including Napoleon Bonaparte, Sir Winston Churchill, and Queen Marie Antoinette, the creations of Breguet have long been celebrated for their technical ingenuity and historical significance. Iconic masterpieces like the Reine de Naples, inspired by the first wristwatch made for Caroline Bonaparte, continue to honor its storied past while embodying the pinnacle of modern watchmaking.
For collectors seeking watches with unparalleled heritage and innovation, Breguet remains an enduring benchmark of excellence. Across our upcoming watch auctions in New York and Hong Kong in December, Sotheby's is bringing 22 Breguet watches to market, all carefully chosen by our global network of watch specialists. Join us as we explore the history of the brand and showcase a range of superb Breguet watches from the Sotheby’s archive.
This Breguet Reference 5347 Classique 'Grande Complication' is presented to market with an estimate of 120,000 - 240,000 USD in our upcoming Important Watches sale on December 6 2024.
The present Breguet Classique Grand Complication features two tourbillon movements, famously an Abraham Louis Breguet patent, visible in separate openings on the silvered guilloché dial. The two tourbillon cages rotate with the entire dial once every 12 hours. The blued Breguet-styled hour hand connects to the tourbillon as a bridge and rotates with the entire movement plate. The caseback offers a remarkable display of artwork amidst the complex mechanical structures visible through the glass. An engraved diagram resembling the solar system as it thematically coincides with the 12-hour rotation of the centre dial.
This Breguet Reference 5887PT/Y2/9WV Marine Equation Marchante Grande Complication sold for 107,950 USD in March 2024.
The Breguet Marine Équation Marchante Reference 5887 was a striking departure from Breguet's classical design tradition, embracing a distinctly contemporary aesthetic while maintaining signature elements. The standout feature of this Breguet watch was its "running equation" display, an innovative approach to the equation of time complication. Unlike conventional displays, a secondary minute hand, adorned with a gilded Sun, indicated the difference between mean solar time and true solar time in real-time, offering enhanced legibility and intuition.
Beyond this complication, this Breguet watch was labeled as a grande complication, having featured a one-minute tourbillon, perpetual calendar, and power reserve indicator. The movement, based on the Breguet Tourbillon Extra-Plat 5377, boasted a peripheral winding mechanism, providing a slim profile.
The design was part of the Marine line, maintaining a robust and sporty look with maritime-themed details, paying homage to Breguet's historical role as the French navy's clockmaker. The 44 mm case, Super-Luminova accents, and engraved nautical motifs completed the modern and nautical aesthetic, making the Marine Équation Marchante 5887 a distinctive and technically advanced timepiece.
This Breguet La Tradition Reference 7047 sold for 69,300 CHF in November 2022, exceeding its high estimate of 50,000 CHF.
The Breguet La Tradition Grand Complication was a superlative model in the firm's repertoire. Breguet impressively showcased classic and new technologies with a 50 hour fusee and chain power reserve, and a one minute tourbillon with titanium bridge and silicon overcoil hairspring. Each separate complication required remarkable skill and patience to manufacture. The fusee chain was a traditional technique that has been used in pocket watches since the 19th century.
When wound, the conical shape fusee barrel was wrapped with a miniature chain, which then created a constant and smooth power output from the barrel as energy was released. By making the movement capable of running for 50 hours and regulating the torque, Breguet’s master watchmakers managed to successfully miniaturize and modernize this traditional complication.
The famous Breguet overcoil hairspring had also been updated with innovative silicon material. As silicon is devoid of the malleability of metal, it required a complete rethinking of the production process to form a bend rising up from the coil. This created a technical challenge which was brilliantly mastered in the present movement.
To protect and showcase this tour de force complication in the Breguet watch, the Ref 7047 was cased in a heavily domed sapphire crystal. Cased in platinum and finished with an accompanying black leather strap, this Breguet watch was a true combination of the firm’s commitment to both tradition and the future.
This Breguet La Tradition Reference 7047 sold for 60,480 USD in December 2022.
Another fine example of the Breguet Reference 7047 La Tradition, this time in a striking combination of yellow gold and brown leather strap. The collector appeal of this watch was also enhanced by its notable presentation box, styled as a wooden watchmaker's bench.
This example dated from 2009 and included two additional Camille Fournet straps.
This Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Anniversaire Reference 5365 sold for 42,000 CHF in November 2024, exceeding its high estimate of 35,000 CHF.
The tourbillon, though now famous and widely implemented across the industry, is inextricably linked with Breguet, for it was Abraham-Louis Breguet who invented the mechanism over two centuries ago. Thus, no other brand was better placed to celebrate the 220th anniversary of the tourbillon in 2021, and a truly special watch was unveiled by Breguet to mark the occasion.
The ultra-limited anniversary reference 5365 encompassed everything that Breguet is best known for and was limited to only 35 pieces - the exact number of tourbillon watches made during Abraham-Louis Breguet’s lifetime. Though the basic design and layout of this Breguet watch had already been used before in references such as the 5367 and 5377, the new Extra-Plat featured a list of evolutions which elevate it above the rest. On the dial, enthusiasts will note that the power reserve had been completely removed, both for a cleaner design and to show off the true stars: the brand new hand guilloché techniques, and tourbillon regulator.
Breguet is famous for beautiful and intricate guillochage, a technique originally invented for legibility and durability, where surfaces with fine engravings can both capture light in different ways while being less prone to corrosion. On the Breguet Reference 5365, a Clou de Paris motif was hand applied onto the centre portion of the dial, while the periphery was engraved with a Grain d’Orge motif for contrast. Due to the intricacy of the guillochage, the dials almost appeared matte from a distance, and the craftsmanship could only be seen when observing the watch up close.
The movement, with the tourbillon positioned unusually between 3 and 6 o’clock, was truly captivating. The dial side tourbillon bridge was made of blued steel, unprecedented for Breguet. Above the tourbillon was another tribute to the anniversary bearing the text “Brevet No 157”, the original patent number awarded to Abraham-Louis Breguet 220 years ago. Flipping the watch over, the calibre 581 could be seen to be masterfully redecorated for the anniversary. Hand engraved with a faithful reproduction of the original watercolour plate used to file the original patent application, the calibre was on full display and unobstructed by the peripheral winding rotor.
All in all, the Breguet Reference 5365 was a model truly worthy of commemorating the anniversary of one of the most recognisable and famous complications in horology.
The many Breguet watches sold by Sotheby’s over the decades offer an extraordinary glimpse into the brand's storied legacy and longstanding commitment to innovation. From the intricate complications of the Marine Équation Marchante and the La Tradition Grand Complication to the tour-de-force anniversary piece, the Reference 5365, these Breguet watches exemplify the marriage of heritage and cutting-edge horology.
Whether it’s through the artistry of guilloché dials, the brilliance of dual tourbillon movements, or the historical significance of its groundbreaking designs, Breguet watches continue to define excellence in watchmaking.
At Sotheby’s our Breguet experts have brought a wide range of extraordinary examples to market, making us well placed to advise clients on the sale or acquisition of a Breguet watch. Work with Sotheby's specialists and in doing so be part of our community of passionate watch enthusiasts and collectors.
Trust our worldwide network of leading Breguet specialists from a globally renowned auction house with a 280 year history.
