Breguet: Art and Innovation In Watchmaking

Breguet: Art and Innovation In Watchmaking

This dazzling exploration of the work of renowned horologist Breguet is also a fascinating look at what makes watches and other timepieces tick. Abraham-Louis Breguet invented many of the standard components of today’s most prestigious watches, earning the title “The Father of Modern Horology.” The self-winding watch, the gong spring, the first shock-protection device, and<br>the enameled dial―all were created by Breguet. In addition,<br>he invented the first travel clock, sold to Napoleon Bonaparte<br>in 1798, and the first wristwatch, delivered to Caroline Murat,<br>queen of Naples in 1812. Perhaps Breguet’s most famous<br>timepiece is the “Marie-Antoinette” pocket watch, which took<br>forty years to make and was the most complex watch of its<br>time. This fascinating, elegantly designed volume features<br>more than seventy watches and clocks that were constructed<br>by the Breguet company, and it contains many insights into<br>the inner workings that made these objects so innovative and<br>valuable. Engaging essays explore Breguet’s personal history,<br>the technologies he perfected, and his vast international<br>reputation―which survives to this day. This beautiful overview<br>of Breguet’s achievements will speak to anyone who treasures<br>their watch―whether as an indispensable daily accessory, or as<br>a prized piece of jewelry.