Founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet in Paris, Breguet continues the legacy of one of the most important figures in watchmaking with ultra-luxurious timepieces, high complications, and top-notch sports watches.
The Breguet watch is a precision instrument, designed to be a precise work of art, combining the best of both worlds – the natural beauty of the authentic mechanical movements and their originality, but also the technological innovation, not only in terms of materials used but also the manufacturing process. The company was founded in Paris in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, alongside his son Charles-Auguste Breguet. We offer a wide selection of new and pre-owned Breguet watches for sale, so you can find the ideal watch for you or someone you care about.
Abraham-Louis Breguet is often referred to as the godfather of watchmaking thanks to his impressive record of horological innovations and inventions. One of A-L Breguet’s most famous inventions is the tourbillon, patented in 1801, which is the whirling mechanism meant to offset gravity’s negative effects on mechanical movements. A-L Breguet also laid the groundwork for self-winding watch movements as early as 1780, which the watchmaker called “Perpétuelle.” Furthermore, the now-industry standard Breguet Overcoil is a balance spring A-L Breguet invented in 1795 to improve precision and durability.
Modern-day Breguet watches for sale are highly influenced by their founder, and several of the brand’s collections are dedicated to some of his most important inventions. For instance, the Breguet Tradition collection is inspired by the architecture of his “souscription” watches, which were created as more affordable alternatives to his pricey pocket watches for royalty and sold on a subscription basis.
Another important collection is the Breguet Classique watch collection, which channels the brand’s technical principles, artistry, and traditions. Aside from mechanical inventions, Breguet also established design details such as Breguet numerals and Breguet-style hands that continue to not only be a mainstay of the brand but also watchmaking at large. The Classique collection houses watches that more often than not include these design details along with other Breguet aesthetic signatures like caseband fluting, straight lugs, and engine-turned dials. The Classique Complications watch collection features similar design touches but as its name suggests also includes complications, particularly Breuget’s famed tourbillon.
If traditional and classic pieces aren’t your style, you can also buy Breguet watches with sportier flair. For instance, there are the Type XX and Type 20 models, inspired by 1950s chronographs made for the French naval air army. Alternatively, there are the Marine Breguet watches for sale that pay tribute to A-L Breguet’s status as the chronometer maker to the French Navy.
Breguet claims that its founder invented the world’s first wristwatch (that claim is contested by Patek Philippe) when he developed a timepiece in 1810 for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples to wear on her wrist. Regardless if this was the first or not, the modern-day Breguet Reine de Naples collection is the brand’s line of ladies’ timepieces — characterized by egg-shaped cases and whimsical numerals — made to honor that history.
Breguet is recognized as one of the top high-end watch brands in the market, prized for watches with impeccable quality, intricate craftsmanship, and mechanical prowess. Artisanal crafts such as guilloche, engraving, enameling, and anglage, are just some of the traditional techniques that Breguet employs to decorate and finish its watches and movements.
Today, Breguet watch movements are manufactured via a mix of traditional methods laid out by its founder and cutting-edge processes. Production is divided into a dozen very different workshops at the company’s manufacture in Vallée de Joux, Switzerland and it can take hundreds of operations to craft a single Breguet watch.
Whether in steel, gold or platinum, sporty or classic, simple or complicated, to buy Breguet watches is to invest in excellence and to own a piece of horological history.