When Abraham-Louis Breguet opened his first workshop on the Quai de l’Horloge in Paris in 1775, Europe was on the verge of transformation. The world was learning to measure precision. Time itself was being redefined, not as an abstract idea but as a craft shaped by hand, forged in metal and guided by imagination. Two and a half centuries later, that same spirit endures within Breguet. The Manufacture’s 250th anniversary is more than a milestone in horology.
It is a celebration of how emotion can be crafted, one invention at a time, and how that pursuit has been appreciated by historical figures through the years.
One of Breguet’s most famous customers, Napoleon Bonaparte bought a repeater watch, a travel clock and a perpetual watch that year.
Sir Winston Churchill visited Breguet either to make purchases or to have the watch he wore all his life, N°765, serviced.
The Invention That Never Ends
Breguet’s history is written through innovation. The perpétuelle of 1780 freed watches from winding. The pare-chute of 1790 made them resilient. The balance spring of 1795 refined precision. And in 1801, the tourbillon changed the course of watchmaking forever. These inventions shaped an art form that combined scientific understanding with emotional depth.
That philosophy continues today, from the original Parisian workshop to the Vallée de Joux. Each piece that leaves the Manufacture reflects the same search for perfection. In its anniversary collection, Breguet brings this legacy to life through new creations such as the Classique Souscription 2025, the Reine de Naples 9935 and 8925, and the Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035. All pay homage to the brand’s long tradition of invention and design.
A New Gold, A Lasting Light
For its 250th year, Breguet introduces a new material: 18K Breguet gold. Conceived and developed in-house, this alloy recalls the warm pink hue of the gold used by eighteenth-century watchmakers. It blends gold with silver, copper and palladium for strength and brilliance. Resistant to discoloration, it was created not to impress at first sight, but to endure.
This new gold appears throughout the anniversary collection and represents what Breguet has always pursued: innovation that preserves heritage.
Between Sky and Sea: The Marine Hora Mundi 5555
Among the anniversary timepieces, the Marine Hora Mundi 5555 best captures the spirit of Breguet’s 250 years. Limited to 50 pieces, it honors both craftsmanship and travel, linking the brand’s maritime heritage with a contemporary vision of the world.
The dial is an extraordinary work of miniature art. It is built on two levels, a guilloché gold base and a sapphire crystal above it. Together they create a globe seen from space, inspired by NASA’s “Black Marble,” a nocturnal image of Earth glowing with city lights. The continents are painted by hand in enamel on the reverse side of the sapphire, then fired and turned over. On the surface, a second layer of enamel forms delicate clouds, each unique to the artist who painted it. The result is a living, luminous Earth that turns with every second.
At the center of the watch is the calibre 77F1, a patented movement capable of memorizing two time zones and switching between them instantly with a single press of the pusher. It automatically adjusts the date and the day or night indication. For those who travel often, it is both a mechanical marvel and a companion across borders.
The 43.9 mm Marine case, crafted for the first time in Breguet gold, alternates polished and satin finishes that catch light like shifting waves. Through the sapphire back, the oscillating weight, also in Breguet gold, displays the special 250th anniversary engraving. Each collector can personalize the cities on the 24-hour ring, creating a discreet reflection of their own journeys.
Time, Crafted
The Marine Hora Mundi 5555 expresses everything Breguet has stood for over two and a half centuries: invention, precision and the quiet emotion of craftsmanship. It connects the earth and sea, tradition and modernity, the spirit of exploration and the art of watchmaking.
Two hundred and fifty years after its founding, Breguet remains faithful to the idea that time is more than something to measure. It is something to feel, to shape, and to pass on.
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