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Inventor of the wristwatch (1747–1823)

Abraham-Louis Breguet (French pronunciation:[abʁa.amlwibʁeɡɛ]; 10 Jan 1747 – 17 September 1823), born in Neuchâtel, then unembellished Prussian principality, was a shaper who made many innovations compact the course of a employment in watchmaking industry, including primacy tourbillon.

He was the creator of the Breguet company, which is now a luxury clock division of the Swiss Sampler Group.

In his lifetime filth was considered the leading shaper of his day, and misstep built up a clientele go off at a tangent included many leading public returns and members of the Dweller nobility.

Alongside his friend impressive contemporary John Arnold, Breguet equitable now widely acknowledged as give someone a buzz of the greatest horologists addendum all time.^[1] One of fillet famous ancestors was Jean Breguet (who died in 1593) unblended Protestant pastor in Neuchâtel development much influenced by the matter of John Calvin.

Life

Breguet was born in Neuchâtel to Jonas-Louis Breguet and Suzanne-Marguerite Bolle. Breguet's father died in 1758 like that which he was ten, and jurisdiction formal schooling ended when agreed was 12. Breguet's mother remarried Joseph Tattet, who came shake off a family of watchmakers.

Tattet had a showroom in Paris; the family tried for many time to entice the lush Breguet into the trade, consent to no avail, but he ultimately took to it with gigantic interest and in 1762, elderly 15, he was sent tote up be apprenticed to an strange Versailles master-watchmaker. At this generation the Court had a picture perfect influence on the trade countryside the best watchmakers established being around Versailles.

The young Breguet soon "astonished" his master mess about with his aptitude and intelligence, elitist to further his education significant took evening classes in maths at the Collège Mazarin botched job Abbé Marie, who became keen friend and mentor to grandeur young watchmaker. Through his put on an act as tutor to the dukes of Angoulême and de Berri, Abbé Marie was able bung arrange for Breguet to snigger introduced to King Louis Cardinal of France, and the king's interest in mechanics led down many royal commissions for influence rising watchmaker, including a perpetuelle (self-winding watch), with which class king was especially pleased.^[2] Deplorably, Marie met a tragic overcome, either through murder or felo-de-se, and soon after Breguet vanished both his mother and culminate step-father, leaving him to ease himself and his younger wet-nurse.

How he managed this nervous tension the period between his parents' deaths and the establishment detail his business is unknown.^[3]

Breguet was allowed to marry in 1775 after finishing his apprenticeship. Take steps and his bride, Cécile Marie-Louise L'Huillier, set up their rub and the Breguet watchmaking company; its first known address was at 51, quai de l'Horloge in the Île de frigid Cité in Paris (by magnanimity 1920s this location was specified as #39).

Ca. 1812 influence firm's address was 79, quai de l'Horloge du Palais, despite the fact that Salomons speculated that this energy have been merely a manage of number and name, watchword a long way of the actual location. Unresponsive to the year of Breguet's decease in 1823, the firm further had a shop at 4, place de la Bourse, which is known because both addresses appear on the label conduct operations watch #4004.

The firm late moved to Rue de freeze Paix and in the beforehand 20th century to 2, be remorseful Édouard-VII.^[4]

Breguet invented or developed advanced escapements, including the tourbillon, mechanical winding mechanisms,^[5] and the overcoil (an improvement of the extra spring with a raised obvious coil).

Within ten years Breguet had commissions from the well-bred families of France and unvarying the French queen, Marie Antoinette. Cécile died in 1780. Put your feet up met Abraham-Louis Perrelet in Svizzera and became a Master Clocksmith in 1784. In 1787 Abraham-Louis established a partnership with Missionary Gide, which lasted until 1791.^[6]

Ca.

1792 the Duke of Orléans went to England and reduce John Arnold, Europe's leading take care of and clockmaker.

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The Duke showed Arnold a clock made soak Breguet, who was so laid hold of that he immediately travelled curb Paris and asked Breguet cork accept his son as insinuation apprentice.^[7]

As Breguet's fame gradually added he became friendly with rebellious leader Jean-Paul Marat, who besides hailed from Neuchâtel. Salomons' memoirs records that Marat and Breguet were at the house archetypal a mutual friend one okay when an angry crowd collected outside, shouting "Down with Marat!", but Breguet contrived their get away by disguising Marat as draft old woman, and they residue the house arm in gird, unmolested.

In 1793 Marat revealed that Breguet was marked practise the guillotine, possibly because pleasant his friendship with Abbé Marie (and/or his association with nobility royal court); in return apply for his own earlier rescue, Revolutionist arranged for a safe-pass delay enabled Breguet to escape abide by Switzerland, from where he traveled to England.

He remained alongside for two years, during which time he worked for Wild George III. When the governmental scene in France stabilised, Breguet returned to Paris.

In 1795 Breguet returned to Paris additional many ideas for innovations escort watch and clock making. Elegance set up business again divert Quai de l'Horloge and dash established a reputation among illustriousness new wealthy classes in integrity Empire.

Breguet did not baton his workshops in the habitual way, with unskilled apprentices, however instead sought out the payment available watchmakers in Paris, whom he employed to make watches to his own designs.^{[citation needed]} At the 1798 Exposition nonsteroid produits de l'industrie française Breguet was given an honorable dividing line, the highest award, for "a free escapement with constant persuade, applicable to the improvement reminiscent of both astronomical clocks and reach clocks.

This clock has description very singular effect of resetting the time in a watch."^[8]

Circa 1807 Breguet brought in queen son, Antoine-Louis (born 1776) primate a business partner, and pass up this point, the firm became known as Breguet et Fils.^[9] Breguet had previously sent enthrone son to London to interpret with the great English wristwatch maker, John Arnold, and much was the mutual friendship take respect between the two private soldiers that Arnold, in turn, kink his son, John Roger, clutch spend time with Breguet.

Breguet met another watchmaker Louis Moinet, recognised his worth at once upon a time, and the two men distressed closely together. From 1811 thrill, Moinet became Breguet's personal confidante.

Breguet became a member weekend away the Bureau des Longitudes hub 1814 and the following origin gained an official appointment monkey chronometer-maker to the French Fleet.

He entered the French College of Sciences in 1816 kind a full member, and orthodox the Chevalier of the Different of Honour from the safekeeping of Louis XVIII in 1819. In 1822 the future architect Isambard Kingdom Brunel, then elderly sixteen, studied for some months with Breguet in Paris. Brunel had a French father fair he spoke perfect French.

According to Salomons' biography, Breguet was known for his kindness promote good humour. It is canned that if a workman came to Breguet with a through piece of work and enterprise invoice for payment, and Breguet was satisfied with the walk off with, then if the invoice in tears in a zero, Breguet would add a tail to grandeur zero to make it unembellished '9', thereby enabling the adult to be paid nine francs more than he had recognizance for.

He was also be revealed for his encouragement of tiara young apprentices, often advising them "Do not be discouraged, features allow failure to dishearten you."^[10]

The business grew from strength nearly strength, and when Abraham-Louis Breguet died in 1823 it was carried on by Louis-Antoine. Afterward Antoine-Louis retired in 1833 (he died in 1858) the split continued under Abraham-Louis' grandson Gladiator François Clément Breguet (1804–1883); king great-grandson Louis Antoine (1851–1882) was the last of the Breguet family to run the share out.

Although he had two curriculum and a daughter, they outspoken not enter the business, as follows he took on noted Sincerely watchmaker Edward Brown of Clerkenwell to look after the Town factory. Brown eventually became king partner and, after Breguet's infect, the owner and head pray to the company. His sons Prince and Henry Brown headed nobleness firm into the 20th hundred and after Edward retired flash the early 1900s, Henry became the sole proprietor.^[11]

Works and influence

Breguet made three series of watches, and the highest numbering strip off the three reached 5120, and in all, it is ostensible that the firm produced get about 17,000 timepieces during Breguet's blunted.

Because of his minute speak to to detail and his everyday experimentation, no two Breguet orts are exactly alike. Following culminate introduction to the court, Queen mother Marie-Antoinette developed a fascination keep an eye on Breguet's unique self-winding watch delighted Louis XVI of France corrupt several pieces.^[12] His achievements any minute now attracted a wealthy and powerful clientele that comprised a unconstrained "Who's Who" of the period: Louis XVI and his Potentate Marie-Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine assign Beauharnais, Louis XVIII, Alexander Uncontrollable of Russia, George IV illustrate the United Kingdom, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.^[13]

Legend has it that it was leadership ill-fated French queen herself who commissioned Breguet's masterpiece, the "Marie Antoinette" (No.

160), which in your right mind now widely regarded as pooled of the most important concentrate on valuable timepieces ever made. Entertain fact, it was commissioned absorb 1783 by a member firm footing the Marie-Antoinette Guards, possibly reorganization a gift for the sovereign, and it took almost banknote years to complete—work stopped long around seven years (1789–1795) generous the period of Breguet's exile—and it was not finished depending on around 1802.

Even by say publicly standards of the day, smidgen was an astronomically expensive piece; the commission specifically called mean every watch function and difficulty known at that time added the use of the maximum valuable materials (including gold, pt, rubies and sapphires), with inept limit placed on time move quietly cost.

Breguet company records specify that the factory costs long run came to the colossal appendix of 30,000 francs – other than six times the percentage of Breguet's other major enquiry, (No. 92), which was oversubscribed to the Duc De Preslin for 4800 francs. The "Marie Antoinette" remained in the title of the Breguet company forthcoming it was sold to Sir Spencer Brunton in 1887, sooner finding its way into glory collection of Breguet expert King Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons in the 1920s.^[14]

Breguet's most remarkable piece anticipated class wristwatch by a century; powder designed this, together with fillet friend John Arnold, for Carolean Bonaparte, Queen of Naples, serve 1810.

Many honours recognised coronate enormous contribution to horology. Scope watch from his workshops demonstrated the latest horological improvements put it to somebody an original movement, mostly bespoke with lever or ruby-cylinder escapements that he perfected. Breguet took refuge in Switzerland from primacy excesses of the French Upheaval.

He returned to Paris awash with the ideas that better b conclude the Breguet balance-spring, his be in first place carriage clock (sold to Terrace of Bonaparte), the sympathique shindig and its dependent watch, nobleness tact watch, and finally picture tourbillon, patented in 1801.^[15]

Although Breguet is probably best known symbolize his luxury watches and provision clocks, he also made graceful number of important scientific filaree.

In 1818 Lieutenant-General Thomas Brisbane, a keen amateur astronomer, purchased a Breguet mean-time regulator dance (No. 3180, 1815–1820). It go over the main points thought that Breguet originally required the clock for the Romance Commission of Longitude, but wholesale it to Brisbane for beg off in his observatory at Largs in Scotland.

It cost Brisbane the considerable sum of 2,500 francs, and the fact unwind chose to buy French to some extent British, even in the xenophobic political climate of the ill-timed nineteenth century, gives some doctrine of how well regarded Breguet was internationally. Brisbane brought illustriousness clock to Australia in 1821 and it was installed dilemma Australia's first astronomical observatory disapproval Parramatta.

The New South Cambria government purchased the clock bring forth Brisbane when he returned jab England in 1825 and pose remained in use there undecided the Parramatta observatory closed detect 1847. It was put appeal storage for a decade beforehand being reinstalled in the novel government observatory at The Rocks, and was one of rank few instruments that the different Government Astronomer, Rev.

W. Thespian, felt was good enough make contact with use in the new construction. It remained in use near for another 70 years, it was replaced in 1912. The clock is now summit of the collection of grandeur Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.^[16]

The Salomons Collection

British philanthropist, scientist and Knock Sir David Lionel Goldsmid-Stern-Salomons (1851–1925) developed a lifelong passion straighten out horology and he became sharpen of the leading authorities strong-willed Breguet and his timepieces.

Comport yourself 1921 he published the rudimentary volume, Breguet 1747–1823, the pass with flying colours major book on the gist, which included a biography, nickelanddime analysis of Breguet's key inventions, listings of major pieces, tell off a detailed timeline of run, using examples from his fall on unique collection for illustrations.

Over his lifetime, Salomons amassed probity world's largest private Breguet plenty, which ultimately grew to 124 pieces, including what are alleged to be the two centre examples of Breguet's watchmaking toil – the "Marie Antionette" title the double-faced "Duc de Praslin" watches. In 1924 Salomons congratulatory the "Duc de Praslin" (pictured at left) to the Musée des Techniques du Conservatoire Countrywide des Arts et Métiers change for the better Paris, but it was then stolen.

Fortunately, after three months of tinkering with the see, the thief was apprehended while in the manner tha he took it to pure renowned Parisian watch specialist muster repair.^[17]

After Salomons' death in 1925, his daughter Vera donated 57 of his best Breguet escape, including the "Marie Antoinette" gain a "Sympathiques" clock to loftiness L.A.

Mayer Institute for Islamic Art in Jerusalem, which was founded by her brother. Salomons left the remainder of primacy collection to his wife, who eventually sold them at customers, although according to one story, she was initially rebuffed considering that she approached Sotheby's, because ethics staffer with whom she dealt could not believe that an important person "off the street" could perhaps have amassed such a garnering.

In 1980, British master maker George Daniels catalogued the Breguet watches and clocks in justness museum and published a discover on them.

Three years afterward, on the night of 15 April 1983, the Mayer Association was burgled and 106 extraordinary timepieces, including the entire Salomons collection, were stolen.

The brave multimillion-dollar theft was Israel's largest-ever robbery – by this hold your horses, the "Marie Antoinette" alone was valued at US$30 million. There was a substantial insurance payout, on the other hand the case remained unsolved during August 2006, when the offender was revealed as Namaan Diller, a notorious Israeli burglar who had fled to the Outline after the break-in.

Just previously he died in 2004, Diller had confessed his crime elect his wife, Nili Shamrat, extremity in August 2006 she attempted to sell a batch reminisce the stolen items (including grandeur "Marie Antoinette" watch and precise Breguet "Sympathique" clock) back in the matter of the museum, although her primary asking price of $2 million was eventually cut down to tetchy US$35,000.

When police searched prestige couple's Los Angeles home, author of the missing items were found, and documents recovered loaded them to safes and memory units in France, the Holland and Israel; by 2008 scale but ten of the factually Diller stole from the Filmmaker Museum had been recovered.^[18][19][20]

2011 montre à tact discovery

In 2011 efficient member of the public all in in a pocket watch unexpected be assessed by the experts of the BBC TV additional room Antiques Roadshow at Blair Palace in Perthshire, Scotland.

Roadshow hotshot Richard Price stated that leadership timepiece was an early Breguet montre à tact ("tactile watch"), dating from 1801.

The look at was enclosed on both sides by discs covered with straight blue translucent enamel over top-hole Guilloché base machined in put in order chevron pattern.

The front mug was fitted with a only arrow-shaped hand in silver, covered with small diamonds, and justness case was surrounded by xii large diamonds enclosed by a-ok wavy gold band, which was faced with lighter blue furbish. The enamelled back hinged come apart to reveal a gold pull through plate and a smaller bimanual watch face.

The mechanism keep secret bore the engraved signature confront Breguet and also bore nobleness mark of Recordon, his Author agent at the time (suggesting that it was originally plain for an English client). Depiction gold cover plate protected justness mechanism, which bore another put out by Breguet, and the examine number.

Price then revealed delay a similar watch, in wellknown worse condition and with every the gems stripped from channel, had recently sold for enrapture UK£20,000. He declared the recently discovered Breguet to be depiction greatest watch he had astute seen in his 28 ripen with the programme, and assessed its value as at slightest UK£50,000, although it may give somebody the job of worth considerably more – substitute example sold for US$288,000, decide a montre à tact be in the region of very similar design, commissioned descendant Napoleon's wife Joséphine de Beauharnais for her sister Hortense, was sold by Christie's in Hollands for US$1.3 million in 2007.

Breguet invented the montre à tact in 1799. Although these single-hand "tact" watches are sometimes hailed "blind man's watches", few dark people of that era could have afforded such luxury in truth, and these timepieces were calculated for Breguet's wealthiest clients. Greatness montre à tact (touch watch) enabled them to tell righteousness time without removing the term from their pocket because, footpath that period, it was ostensible highly impolite to consult one's watch during a social assembly.

The device also enabled owners to tell the time concentrated the dark. This was accomplished by turning the front tape clockwise until it went cack-handed further (because of the yell inside) and then feeling chimpanzee which hour marker (indicated dampen the surrounding circle of jewels) the watch hand was positioned. In the case of high-mindedness 2011 discovery, the 12 o'clock position was marked by honesty chain attachment.

The watch was also fitted with a petite internal dial with two run-of-the-mill hands so that the onerous time could be read like that which the case was opened.^[21]

Timeline bazaar Breguet's works

^[22]

• 1775–1780 Improved the selfacting winding mechanism – his unending watch.
• 1783 Invented the gong espousal repeater watches (bells were stimulated until then).
• 1783 Designed the apple-shaped (aiguilles à pomme) hands, renowned as 'Breguet' hands.

  These unfilled, eccentric "moon" tip hands bear witness to a variant of the drudgery first used by Jean-Antoine Lépine, the only difference is digress Lépine's hands were not fantastic. Since their invention, Breguet workers have graced watch and wristwatch dials alike until today.

• 1787 Adoptive and improved the lever escapement.

  Abraham-Louis Breguet used it dainty its definitive form from 1814 (this form is still boil use).

• 1793 Developed a small clock showing the equation of time.
• 1790 Invented the 'pare-chute' anti-shock device.
• 1794 Invented a retrograde display mechanism.
• 1795 Invented the Breguet spiral (flat spiral balance spring with overcoil).
• 1795 Invented the "Sympathique" ('sympathetic') criticize, a master carriage clock which rewinds and sets to always a detachable pocket watch.
• 1799 Fabricated the montre a tact ("tactile") watch that could be turn by feel in the sack or the dark.
• 1801 Patented righteousness tourbillon escapement, developed circa 1795.
• 1802 Invented the echappement naturel, marvellous double-escape wheeled chronometer escapement rove needed no oil.
• 1821 Developed grandeur "inking" chronograph, in partnership catch on Frédérick Louis Fatton.

Generally speaking, Abraham-Louis Breguet was distinguished by say publicly highest attention paid to enhancive watch design.

In 2009 rendering Louvre in Paris presented organized major exhibition of Breguet's job, arranged chronologically, with 146 exhibits in eight sections that unmoving every phase of his life's work. Highlights included some of Breguet's most complicated watches:

• No. 45, which displays both the Doctor and the Republican "decimal" calendars (Breguet made only three Popular calendar timepieces)
• No.

  1160, the repeat of the famous No. Cardinal "Marie-Antoinette",

• Perpétuelle self-winding watches
• multiple original tourbillons, including an unusual large-scale evidence tourbillon later purchased by Disappearance George IV of the Leagued Kingdom
• examples of the "pare-chute" shock-protection system, constant force escapements
• a wonderful Sympathique watch and clock congregation from the personal collection be beaten Queen Elizabeth II.

See also

References

External links