Breguet

Who are Breguet?

Breguet is a Swiss watchmaker based in L’Abbaye, in the Vallée de Joux, that began in Paris in 1775, when Abraham-Louis Breguet opened his workshop on the Quai de l’Horloge. It has been owned by the Swatch Group since 1999. This page covers its history, collections and ownership, then what to check when buying a pre-owned Breguet in the UK.

Abraham-Louis Breguet, born in Neuchâtel in 1747, is credited with a long list of inventions, including the tourbillon and the gong-spring used in repeating watches (Swatch Group). His clients included Marie-Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte and Tsar Alexander I, and later Winston Churchill (Swatch Group). The company today makes mechanical watches, many of them with complications, and marked its 250th anniversary in 2025 (Breguet).

The history of Breguet

Breguet’s history runs from a Paris workshop in 1775 to a Swiss manufacture owned by the Swatch Group. The key dates are the workshop (1775), the tourbillon patent (1801), the title of watchmaker to the Royal Navy (1815), the Brown family’s century of ownership from 1870, the move to the Vallée de Joux (1976) and the sale to the Swatch Group (1999).

Paris. Breguet opened his workshop on the Quai de l’Horloge on the Île de la Cité in 1775 (Breguet). Wikipedia gives the address as 51 Quai de l’Horloge.

The inventions. Breguet’s own timeline lists self-winding watches (1780), the gong-spring and Breguet hands and numerals (1783), guilloché dials (1786), the pare-chute shock absorber (1790), the Breguet balance-spring (1795) and the tourbillon (1801) (Breguet). The tourbillon patent was granted on 7 Messidor Year 9 of the French revolutionary calendar, which is 26 June 1801 (Swatch Group). On self-winding, sources differ on who came first: Wikipedia’s article on automatic watches says Abraham-Louis Perrelet made a self-winding mechanism in late 1776 or early 1777, and that Breguet made many self-winding watches from about 1780.

The Marie-Antoinette watch. In 1783 the Swedish count Axel von Fersen commissioned a watch for the queen that was to contain every complication then known, with no deadline or limit on cost (Wikipedia). Breguet No. 160 was finished in 1827, 44 years later (Wikipedia), after both the queen and Breguet had died. Breguet made a re-edition in 2008 (Breguet).

The first wristwatch. Breguet says the first watch designed to be worn on the wrist was ordered in 1810, for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples (Breguet). Wikipedia gives the watch number as 2639 and names her as Caroline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister, who married Joachim Murat.

The navy. In 1815 Louis XVIII appointed Breguet Watchmaker to the French Royal Navy, recognising his marine chronometers, which were used to calculate longitude at sea (Breguet). Breguet’s own magazine notes that the royal ordinance of 27 October 1815 made it a personal title for life, and that he succeeded Louis Berthoud, who had died in 1813. Breguet died in 1823, and his son Louis-Antoine took over (Wikipedia).

The Brown family. In 1870 Edward Brown, the manager of the workshop, acquired the company, and his family owned it for exactly a hundred years (Breguet). Wikipedia describes the Browns as an English family. In the 20th century Breguet made counters for aircraft from 1926 and opened a boutique on the Place Vendôme in 1933, and series production of the Type XX chronograph began in 1954 (Breguet).

Chaumet, Investcorp and Switzerland. The Browns sold Breguet to the Paris jewellers Chaumet in 1970 (Breguet). In 1976 production moved to the Vallée de Joux (Breguet; Wikipedia). Investcorp bought the company in 1987, and a new manufacture opened at L’Abbaye in 1994 (Breguet). Wikipedia adds that Investcorp formed the Groupe Horloger Breguet in 1991 and that it bought the movement maker Nouvelle Lemania in 1992.

Swatch Group. The Swatch Group bought the Breguet group from Investcorp in 1999 (Swatch Group; Wikipedia). Breguet describes itself as the fifteenth company to join the group (Breguet). Gregory Kissling became CEO on 1 October 2024, reporting to the president, Marc A. Hayek (Breguet).

What is Breguet known for?

Breguet is known for the inventions of its founder, above all the tourbillon, and for the design details named after him: Breguet hands, the Breguet balance-spring and engine-turned guilloché dials. It is also known for its historical records, which let it confirm whether an old watch is genuine.

The tourbillon. A tourbillon places the escapement and balance in a rotating cage, so that errors caused by gravity in different positions average out. Breguet patented it in 1801 (Swatch Group), and in 1802 he made a series of five timepieces with a tourbillon (Swatch Group). Many Classique and Tradition models still have one.

Design signatures. Breguet hands, often blued, with a hollow “pomme” ring near the tip (Wikipedia), date from 1783, and guilloché dials, decorated with engine-turned patterns, from 1786 (Breguet). The Breguet balance-spring, or overcoil, of 1795 is still widely used across the watch industry (Wikipedia).

The records. Breguet keeps registers of the watches it has made and the clients who ordered them (Breguet). Its Heritage Department uses them to check whether a watch signed Breguet is genuine. It warns that counterfeits far outnumber genuine pieces among antique watches (Breguet).

Women’s watches. The Reine de Naples, launched in 2002, is named after the client of the first Breguet wristwatch (Breguet).

Which Breguet collections are there?

Breguet’s current range has seven collections: Classique, Marine, Tradition, Type XX, Reine de Naples, Héritage and Expérimentale. Classique and Tradition hold most of the complicated watches; Marine and Type XX are the sports and pilot’s watches.

The collections table on this page gives a one-line description of each. A few points help when you are reading listings:

• Type XX and Type 20. The original Type 20 was specified in the 1950s for the French Air Force and naval aviation, and Breguet also sold it to civilian buyers. Production stopped in the early 1980s and resumed in 1995 as the Type XX Aéronavale. In 2023 Breguet launched the military-inspired Type 20 Chronographe 2057 and the civilian-inspired Type XX Chronographe 2067 (Time and Watches). Vintage military pieces are a specialist area; ask for evidence of their history.
• Reference numbers. Breguet models carry a four-digit reference, such as 5517 for a Marine or 7035 for a Tradition (Swatch Group). The reference identifies the model; the individual number on the case identifies the watch.
• Expérimentale. This is a newer collection for technical models such as the Expérimentale 1 (Swatch Group).
• Anniversary pieces. The Classique Souscription 2025, with a single hand, was the first watch of the 250th anniversary year (Breguet).

Who owns Breguet?

Breguet is owned by the Swatch Group, a Swiss watch group that lists 16 watch brands. It bought Breguet from Investcorp in 1999. Inside the group, Breguet has its own president, Marc A. Hayek, and CEO, Gregory Kissling.

The Swatch Group places Breguet in its Watches & Jewelry segment, alongside sister brands such as Blancpain and Omega (Swatch Group). The 1999 purchase covered the Groupe Horloger Breguet, which Investcorp had formed in 1991 and which included Nouvelle Lemania (Wikipedia). Marc A. Hayek is also president and CEO of Blancpain (Blancpain).

Because Breguet is part of a listed group, its own results are not published separately.

Buying a pre-owned Breguet in the UK: what to check

Check that the reference and individual number on the watch match its papers, that the papers and any service records are genuine, and that the watch is not recorded as stolen. For an older watch, Breguet’s Heritage Department can confirm from its records whether the watch is genuine.

1. Papers and the full set. A new Breguet’s international warranty can only be issued by an official retailer, and the registration records the model reference, individual number and purchase date (Breguet). Ask exactly which items are included and whether they are originals. Our guide to what “full set” means explains what each item proves and what it does not.

2. Breguet’s records. Breguet’s Heritage Department will tell you by email, free of charge, whether a timepiece is genuine and give the main information in its records. For pieces made after 1989 you can then pay for an archive extract, and for earlier pieces a handwritten certificate, signed by the curator of the Breguet museum and archives (Breguet). If a seller claims a watch has a Breguet certificate, ask to see it.

3. Authenticity. Fake Breguet watches exist. Breguet says any pocket watch numbered above 5500 can be considered fake, and that it never used the inscriptions “Spiral Breguet”, “réglage Breguet” or “Breguet Watch Case” (Breguet). For a modern watch, buy from a seller who will put authenticity in writing and accept returns, and have the watch checked by a watchmaker you choose. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch covers what a watchmaker looks at.

4. Stolen-watch check. Before you pay, check the individual number against a stolen-watch register and ask the seller to confirm the watch is not reported lost or stolen. Our stolen-watch check guide lists the UK registers and how to use them.

5. Condition and dials. Guilloché dials and polished gold cases show wear and poor refinishing easily. Ask whether the dial, hands or case have been refinished or replaced. Our guide to watch condition grades explains the terms dealers use.

6. Warranty and servicing. Breguet’s international warranty is 60 months from the date of purchase for watches bought after 1 January 2025. A service at Breguet carries a 24-month service warranty, which a full paid service on a watch bought from that date and registered on My Breguet extends by 36 months (Breguet). Breguet’s terms do not say whether the warranty passes to a second owner. Any work by someone not authorised by Breguet voids the service warranty (Breguet). See watch warranties explained.

7. Who you buy from. There are three main routes in the UK:

Sources: Breguet, warranty conditions (checked 29 October 2026).

We found no Breguet-run certified pre-owned programme; certified pre-owned Breguet watches we found were sold under retailers’ own schemes. For how independent dealers compare with appointed retailers, read grey market versus authorised dealer.

For the full process from setting a budget to collecting the watch, see the guide to buying a luxury watch, and for looking after it afterwards, how to care for a mechanical watch.

Frequently asked questions

Where was Breguet founded?

In Paris, in 1775, when Abraham-Louis Breguet opened his workshop on the Quai de l’Horloge (Breguet). The company is now based in L’Abbaye in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland (Swatch Group).

Is Breguet French or Swiss?

Both, in a sense. Abraham-Louis Breguet was born in Neuchâtel and built his business in Paris (Swatch Group; Breguet). Production moved to the Vallée de Joux in 1976, and the company is now Swiss and owned by the Swatch Group.

Who owns Breguet?

The Swatch Group, which bought it from Investcorp in 1999 (Swatch Group).

Did Breguet invent the tourbillon?

Yes. Breguet was granted a patent for the tourbillon on 26 June 1801 (Swatch Group).

Did Breguet make the first wristwatch?

Breguet says the first watch designed to be worn on the wrist was ordered from it in 1810, for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples (Breguet).

What are Breguet hands?

Hands with a hollow “pomme” ring near the tip, often blued (Wikipedia), which Breguet dates to 1783 (Breguet). Many other makers now use the style.

How long is the Breguet warranty?

Five years for watches bought from an official retailer after 1 January 2025 (Breguet).

Can Breguet confirm whether my watch is genuine?

Yes. Its Heritage Department checks requests sent through its website and replies by email; archive extracts and certificates are available for a fee (Breguet).

What is the difference between Type XX and Type 20?

Type 20 was the name of the 1950s chronograph specified for the French military; the line returned in 1995 as the Type XX. Since 2023 Breguet has made a military-inspired Type 20 and a civilian-inspired Type XX (Time and Watches).

Can I buy a pre-owned Breguet without papers?

You can, but without papers you rely more heavily on the seller’s written guarantee, an independent watchmaker’s check, a stolen-watch check and, for older pieces, Breguet’s own records. Agree in writing that you get a full refund if the watch is later found not to be genuine.

This page is general information. Watch60 is independent and has no commercial relationship with Breguet or the Swatch Group.

We check the facts on this page against the sources listed, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Brands change their warranty, servicing and sales terms, so confirm them with the brand or the seller before you buy.