Breguet at 250: How the Maison’s Anniversary Editions Reinvent its Greatest Innovations
The Swiss watchmaker celebrates with new watches that bridge past and present.
In the world of watchmaking, few brands have the gravitas of Breguet. As the maison celebrates its 250th anniversary, it stands as not just a watchmaker but also a guardian of horological history, innovation, and elegance. Founded in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the brand has been at the heart of some of the most important advancements in timekeeping: from the invention of the tourbillon to the Breguet balance spring and even the world’s first wristwatch, created for the Queen of Naples in 1810.
The anniversary is more than a celebration of longevity. It is an homage to the enduring influence of Abraham-Louis, whose creations graced the wrists of royalty and intellectuals. From Marie Antoinette to Napoleon Bonaparte, Breguet watches have long been symbols of refined taste. To commemorate its 250 years, the watch manufacturer has been launching a series of timepieces over the course of the anniversary year, with each linked to a specific invention from its history.
The Breguet Classique Souscription is a tribute to the souscription pocket watch.
Modelled on the 18-century Souscription pocket watch, the Classique Souscription is a wristwatch that features a single-hand display over a white grand feu enamel dial. The original model was one of Breguet’s first accessible timepiece experiments, and reviving it in 2025 recalls its roots in radical simplicity.
The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is Breguet’s first flying tourbillon and spins mysteriously in a starry aventurine enamel sky.
The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral 7255 is a limited-edition flying tourbillon timepiece of only 50 units with an aventurine enamel dial in Breguet gold. The tourbillon is one of Breguet’s signature inventions, and this new model, launched on the patent anniversary (June 26), is the first flying tourbillon in the Sidéral line and showcases a new guilloché motif.
The Breguet Marine Hora Mundi 5555 is one of the most sophisticated traveller’s watches.
The Marine Hora Mundi 5555 reimagines world timekeeping. It features an ingenious instant-jump dual-time mechanism, allowing seamless switching between two preset time zones at the press of a button. The dial, inspired by NASA’s Black Marble imagery of the Earth at night, is a visual marvel: a two-layer composition combining deep-blue guillouché with a sapphire overlay. The watch is a tribute to Breguet’s appointment as horloger de la marine, watchmaker to the navy, in 1815.
The superb Breguet Type XX Chronographe 2075.
Revived with exacting detail and historical references, the Type XX Chronographe 2075 pays tribute to Breguet’s storied pilot-watch legacy. It draws inspiration from a 1955 civilian Type XX, and two versions have been released: a 38-millimetre black or silver dial, manually wound and housed in a yellow gold case.
The majestic Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035.
The Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035 is a celebration of Breguet’s craftsmanship. This commemorative edition stands out not just as another Tradition model but also as a beautifully engineered showcase of what Breguet has been doing for 250 years.
The Breguet Reine de Naples 9935 with white mother-of-pearl dial and gold bracelet.
From its inception, the Reine de Naples has stood as Breguet’s tribute to women, inspired by the watch Abraham-Louis Breguet made for Caroline Murat, Napoleon’s younger sister and Queen of Naples. New models are the 9935, which features a new movement, and the 8925, with a new watch face and an all-gold bracelet.
The commemorative watches, at once historical and innovative, embody the Breguet spirit while continuing to define the future of watchmaking.
