Breguet

While the tourbillon is indelibly associated with Abraham-Louis Breguet, who invented the mechanism in 1801, it was not until 1988 that it appeared in a Breguet wristwatch, following the appointment of Daniel Roth to revive the storied brand. Immersing himself in Breguet’s archives, Roth sought to reconnect with the Maison’s heritage, an effort that naturally culminated in the creation of a tourbillon wristwatch, reference 3350. This model embodied the hallmarks of Breguet design, including the signature hands, guilloché dial, and fluted caseband, and marked Roth’s first ground-up creative endeavor for the brand.

In the 1990s, Breguet introduced the reference 3357 as a refined evolution of the 3350. The updates were subtle yet notable, including a revised dial tone, the addition of “Swiss Guilloché Main” at 3 o’clock, a Breguet-signed crown, and a display caseback. The 3357 retained the Breguet caliber 558, developed under Roth’s direction, distinguished by its beautifully hand-engraved bridges visible on both sides. Sotheby's is proud to present this model that, arguably, most clearly defines modern Breguet.