Breguet

Abraham-Louis Breguet is widely considered one of the most important watchmakers of all time and, in fact, is responsible for many innovations that are now commonplace in nearly every mechanical watch produced today. It’s no wonder that he is cited as an inspiration by the likes of George Daniels and F.P. Journe. While many of Breguet’s inventions are incredibly practical and useful—such as the Breguet overcoil or automatic winding—it is his invention of the tourbillon in 1801 for which he and the brand are most closely associated today.

The tourbillon was born from the idea of how to reduce friction in a movement, and what causes friction? Gravity. A.-L. Breguet addressed this by patenting a rotating cage that houses the balance wheel and escapement, allowing it to rotate freely and thereby mitigate the effects of gravity on the watch. While extremely complex to produce, the result was both technically impressive and aesthetically beautiful. It also proved somewhat effective in improving timekeeping accuracy—though only when the watch was held in a fixed position.

With the advent of the wristwatch—made possible, in part, by Breguet’s invention of the pare-chute shock protection system—the practical functionality of the tourbillon diminished. It evolved instead into a symbol of a watchmaker’s technical prowess and artistry.

Naturally, Breguet has remained closely associated with the complication since 1801, and it continues to be a core part of the brand's identity, having been reintroduced into the collection by Daniel Roth with the reference 3350. Our present example—the reference 5317—is a masterclass in haute horology, wrapped in classic Breguet casework. The caliber 587 is an automatic tourbillon with a five-day power reserve—an impressive feat in its own right. The movement is richly hand-decorated with multiple finishing techniques.

The classic Breguet design language extends to the dial, which features three distinct guilloché patterns—all executed by hand on traditional rose engines at the brand’s manufacture. These dials take many hours to produce and are completed with the Breguet ‘secret signature’ etched into the outer hour track. The pièce de résistance is the black-polished, exposed tourbillon bridge at 6 o’clock, proudly showcasing the maison’s signature innovation.

This particular example is cased in yellow gold, which is no longer offered by Breguet, and retains all of its paperwork from new. A true horological delight from one of the most important watchmakers in history, who happens to be celebrating its 250th anniversary this year.