Breguet

July 13, 2012—Bal Harbour, FL. Breguet, the world's most prestigious watch brand, is continuing its nationwide tour highlighting the legacy of its founder Abraham-Louis Breguet ("A.-L. Breguet"), the innovator, with its exhibit celebrating over a century in aviation inspired timepieces, "Breguet: Watchmaker, Aviator, Innovator."

Breguet Brings Exhibit of Vintage Aviation Timepieces to Bal Harbour

Launched on Flag Day (June 14) in New York City, aboard the legendary USS Intrepid, Breguet embarked on a two month tour that traces the history of Breguet in aviation and showcases the brand's legacy of innovation with a variety of historical timepieces including the original Breguet Type XX, and explore Breguet's 10Hz technology which is integrated into the Type XXII.  

The exhibit opened in Bal Harbour on the evening of July 12^th at the Breguet Boutique in the Bal Harbour Shops and a private preview cocktail reception was hosted for select guests. "Breguet: Watchmaker, Aviator, Innovator" is now opened to the public at the Breguet Boutique in Bal Harbour until July 29^th.

Breguet's most celebrated clients included Napoleon, Marie-Antoinette and Tsar Alexander to name but a few. His extraordinary talents were undoubtedly passed down to his descendants, namely his great-great grandson Louis-Charles, who turned his talents to the fledgling world of Aviation.

The evolution of the clock is closely linked to the development of long distance transportation. During the age of A.-L. Breguet, it was ship and sea travel that influenced innovation. At the time, in order to determine the exact location of a ship at sea with no points of reference, a high-precision clock was essential. By measuring the sailing time against the position of the sun, sailors could pinpoint their location. However, the constant movement of the ship caused problems with most clocks of the day. In 1815, A.-L. Breguet developed the marine chronometer that helped usher in a more efficient age of sea travel.

The invention was adopted by the French Navy, and Breguet was appointed "Horloger de la Marine Royal" (watchmaker to the Royal Navy). To be recognized with a commission by the Navy was a crowning achievement for the already legendary watchmaker. A pocket chronometer was one of many delivered by Breguet to the Navy in what proved to be a long and successful relationship.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the demands of the sea gave way to the demands of the sky. Hence, the evolution of the aircraft soon prompted the evolution of the wristwatch. Aviation created numerous challenges for the watch industry. A timepiece was needed for navigation, to determine fuel consumption, and to coordinate functions on long distance flights. One innovation that met these challenges was the Chronograph; a complication that can start, stop and measure intervals of time. In 1918, the Breguet watch company first began producing watches for aviators and also developed chronograph mechanisms mounted in cockpit instrument panels.

Breguet's ties to the French Navy grew as the need for military aircraft at sea became evident soon after the first planes took flight. The ministry of war formed the French Naval Air Arm ("Aéronavale") in 1910 and by 1913 was using Breguet planes in its fleet. For the next 60 years, Breguet planes were the primary aircraft used by the Aéronavale.

In the mid-1950s, the French Ministry of War asked Breguet to produce a reliable, accurate chronograph wristwatch, code named Type 20. In 1954, Breguet then became an official supplier of the French Air and Naval Forces. Based on the first wristwatch chronographs developed by Breguet in the 1930s, the Type 20 was one of the first wristwatches to have a flyback function. The flyback allows the user, in this case the pilot, to start, stop and reset the chronograph with the push of just one button. The ease of use and time saved in flight helped improve navigation.

The Type 20 was reintroduced into the Breguet watch collection in a civilian version fitted with a self-winding movement as the "Type XX." Its chronograph retains the flyback function needed for flying search patterns. Its uncompromising looks and strong construction have made the Type XX popular among those seeking an original and technical sports watch. Breguet makes the Type XX watches in two versions: the Aéronavale and the Transatlantique, with date indication. Its Type XXI design features a flyback minute totaliser at the center and a 24-hour time display.

The Breguet Type XXII chronograph offers an aesthetic reinterpretation of the legendary Type XX, but above all embodies a high-precision achievement. This creation is equipped with the first and only series-made mechanical chronograph movement with a silicon escapement and balance spring boasting a frequency raised to 10Hz, meaning 72,000 vibrations per hour. This extremely high frequency endows the Type XXII with exceptional accuracy and rating efficiency, thus enabling it to mark off 1/20ths of a second. The seconds hand performs a complete rotation in 30 seconds. This technical feat is made possible by the use of silicon, which serves to lighten the weight of the mobile escapement components and to reduce the lubrication constraints linked to such high frequencies.

"Breguet: Watchmaker, Aviator, Innovator" will be open for viewing at Boutique in Bal Harbour from  July 12^th to  July 29^th and complete the tour at the Breguet Boutique on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills from August 2^nd to August 19^th.

About Breguet

The world's number one luxury watchmaker

Since it was acquired by the Swatch Group in 1999, Montres Breguet has rapidly moved into the world number one position in luxury watchmaking. Its new products, the true measure of brand dynamism, and its capacity for innovation continue to be a priority. To such an extent that the creativity and ingenuity of Breguet have not run out of steam with the passage of time, but rather have grown, since the number of patents granted under the leadership of Nicolas G. Hayek exceeds the number of inventions recorded by its founder, A.-L. Breguet (1747–1823). Today the brand is continuing to reinforce its dominant role in the development of watchmaking mechanics by devoting very significant investments to research and innovation, as well as to the actual Breguet manufacturing site, which has been enlarged and expanded with new facilities and infrastructure as well as sophisticated machinery. Emphasis has also been placed on recruiting highly qualified watchmakers. A team is ceaselessly working on the design and production of new models that interpret the brand's esthetic values in a novel manner, and on completely original mechanisms that will drive the timepieces of tomorrow. At the heart of the brand's strategy lies the perfecting, through synergies with the Swatch Group, of innovative manufacturing procedures. This demonstrates its historical capacity for constantly reinventing and revolutionizing watchmaking, in order to satisfy the requirements of its extremely sophisticated clientele. It was with this objective in mind that a prestige jewelry line was launched in 2002, with resounding success. www.breguet.com

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