Breguet
Replica Watches
Although not
as famous as brands such as Rolex and Cartier the house of Breguet
has one of the most lustrous and innovative histories in watch
making. Its founder, Abraham Louis Breguet, was one of the most
skilled and creative watch makers and was much celebrated for
his new technological advances and contributions to watch making
in general.
Abraham Breguet
was a mere boy of 15 when he first began his training in watch
making. It was not long however before he had established himself
as the premier watch maker of his time and was touted and respected
by royalty, politicians and others, both in his adopted home
of France and abroad.
Some of his
innovations include the development of the automatic watch, the
first anti-shock device, the tourbillion and the hands which
are traditionally known as Breguet hands and are still used to
this day. Considered by many to be a technical genius Breguet
established his factory in Paris in 1775. He was briefly uprooted
to Switzerland due to the French Revolution but returned and
continued his history making inventions until he passed away
in 1823.
The company
was carried on by his son and subsequently his grandson until
1870 at which time it was passed to the manager Edward Brown
and his family who ran it until 1970. The brand was once again
sold in 1987 to the finance company Investacor.
Today it is
known as Montres Breguet SA and is a member of the Swatch Group
a highly respected and well known group of elite watch manufacturers.
Its factory is situated in Vallee de Joux an area of Switzerland
known for its many fine watch establishments.
More recently
some of the famous patrons of the House of Breguet include Winston
Churchill and pianist Arthur Rubenstein. The Breguet name has
also been mentioned in literature by such notables as Victor
Hugo (“Song of the Streets and Woods”, 1865), Alexander
Dumas (“Count of Monte Cristo”, 1845) and Henry Murger
(“Scenes of Bohemian Life”, 1848). In 1969 Breguet
is also mentioned by John Fowles in “The French Lieutenants
Woman”.
It is rare
that such an enduring legacy is found and exalted by such a varied
and prestigious group. Truly Breguet played a role in modern
watch making as we know it today and his legacy lives on still
in the House of Breguet.
Breguet Replica
Watches - A Brief History
Born in 1747 Abraham Louis
Breguet is perhaps the most famous figure in the history of watch making.
He was first introduced to the craft by his step father Joseph Tattet, who
recognizing his step son’s talent, sent him to Versailles at age fifteen
to serve a five year apprenticeship. Following the completion of his apprenticeship
he married the daughter of a prominent Frenchman and it is said her dowry
enabled him to establish his first shop on the Ile de la Cite in 1775.
It was from this shop
the Breguet first won the devotion and acclaim of the wealthy and powerful
including Queen Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI for whom he designed several
pieces. His clientele also included the Tsars of Russia, Napoleon and Wellington.
In fact one story has it that both Napoleon and Wellington carried their
Breguet time pieces at the battle of Waterloo.
As the result of the French
Revolution Breguet fled France for a brief period between 1793 and 1795.
While his shop was closed for that period, his dedication to his craft continued
and upon his return he brought several new creations and inventions with
him including the tourbillion regulator which was patented in 1801.
Over the following years
his fame as a watch maker continued to grow and he was awarded many honors
including induction into the Board of Longitude and being awarded the Legion
d’Honneur by King Louis XVIII. Many of his inventions and advances
during this period of his life are considered to be the foundation for modern
watch making. He subsequently passed away in 1823 at the age of 77.
The line of Breguet did
not end there however. Under the leadership of his son and grandson (Louis
Clement Breguet) the tradition and spirit of innovation continued until until
1870. At this time Louis Clement Breguet left watch making to devote himself
to electrical telegraphs and other communications fields. The company was
passed on to the manager Ed Brown whose family went on to perpetuate the
line for the next one hundred years.
In 1970 the company was
purchased by the jeweler Chaumet and then was sold again to the finance company
Investacorp in 1987.
In 1994 a new production
facility for Breguet was established in l’Abbaye (Vallee de Joux).
In 1997 the world celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of Abraham
Breguet, a man whose contributions to watch making remain legendary to this
day.
