Watches have long been part of Sotheby’s fabric. Timepieces of legendary status and measures of artistry and beauty, Sotheby’s rare watches continue to fascinate collectors and connoisseurs who are drawn not just to the pieces themselves, but to the story and process behind them. From diamond-encrusted to classically constructed timepieces, watches have always been the main treasure and drew the most value at Sotheby’s auctions. The auction house offers a space where rare watches become a form of personal expression. They curate collections that inspire emotion and celebrate individuality, guided by the belief that meaningful watches should resonate today and remain timeless tomorrow.
250 Years of Breguet
This November, Sotheby’s is hosting a historic event that pays homage to Breguet’s 250-year legacy in watchmaking. Culminating with a sale on 9 November in Geneva, the auction will feature many of Breguet’s most stellar examples of horological innovation, curated in collaboration with Montres Breguet SA and Emmanuel Breguet, Vice President, Head of Patrimony and descendant of Abraham-Louis Breguet. The largest auction of Breguet timepieces in a quarter of a century, the sale will spotlight key chapters of the brand’s long and impactful history, offering a mix of pocket watches, wristwatches and clocks. The event marks the 250th anniversary of the foundation of Breguet in Paris in 1775 and will take place as part of Sotheby’s Luxury Sales in Geneva, alongside Sotheby’s bi-annual flagship Important Watches live auction.
Abraham-Louis Breguet is regarded as the most important and influential watchmaker in the history of horology, a genius who dared to break away from mainstream aesthetics to create singular timepieces defined by technical innovation, exceptional design, rare materials, all of which are anchored by ground-breaking imagination, historical significance and notable provenance.
A Breguet watch doesn't follow trends, it tells who we are and how we feel. In the long and often turbulent history of fine watches, few names have acquired the sort of mythos attached to a Breguet timepiece. The upcoming Sotheby’s auction will most likely demonstrate how and why Breguet’s phenomenal legacy endures 250 years later, stronger than ever.
The Art of Breguet
If one were to open Breguet’s client register, one would most instantly immerse in history and discover famous names that have left their mark on it.
Abraham-Louis Breguet transformed watchmaking by solving age-old horological challenges and introducing groundbreaking innovations, many of which became the foundation of modern complications. His creations, like the “tourbillon” and the self-winding mechanism, remain vital to contemporary watchmaking today. Among his many achievements were the automatic watch, the first shock-absorbing system (‘pare-chute’), and the Breguet balance spring, still bearing his name. He also developed the first travelling clock and the ingenious ‘sympathique’ clock. These creations were sought after by people in high places – from kings and queens to statesmen, writers, and composers. The list of remarkable men and women who admired and collected Breguet’s work is as impressive as it is remarkably long.
Breguet – “A Watchmaker of Kings and the King of Watchmakers”
Known as the “Father of Modern Watchmaking” and famously nicknamed “The Watchmaker of Kings and the King of Watchmakers,” Breguet attracted a highly polished clientele drawn to his singular creations, which often required months, if not years, to complete. Among his most famous patrons was Queen Marie-Antoinette, who commissioned several timepieces from the artist. She was one of Breguet’s earliest and most passionate admirers and wore the pieces herself. She did not hesitate to sing his praises either, at court and among those closest in her circles. Breguet created watch No. 160, now famously known as the ‘Marie-Antoinette’, especially for the Queen. It was an extraordinary piece, featuring every known refinement, complication and function known at the time. The watch wasn’t completed until after her death, remaining a masterpiece forever linked to a queen who never held it. Breguet finished watch No. 160 after the French Revolution and kept it in a safe place, as a mark of his loyalty to the queen.
The master soon became the watchmaker of choice for Europe’s most powerful figures, including Napoleon Bonaparte, King George III and the British Royal Family, as well as the Tsar of Russia, who all sought the very best in horology. The house’s reputation still maintains its precious aura, remaining as strong today as it was in Breguet’s time.
Sotheby’s Breguet Auction – An Event of Royal Provenance
Perhaps the greatest watchmaker of them all, Abraham-Louis Breguet profoundly impacted the course of horological history and laid the foundations of modern watchmaking. Sotheby's commemorative auction is a fitting tribute to Breguet’s legacy and the lots on offer deeply reflect this significance. One of the main lots in the sale is Breguet’s 1827 Perpétuelle à Tact Watch with date, power reserve and up-and-down indication, made for and owned by King George IV of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which bears the King's monogram on the case back. The auction will also include other rare pieces directly from a branch of the Breguet family, as well as an open-faced Breguet montre à tact with calendar and moonphases that served as inspiration for the Reference 3330.
Final Note
Given Sotheby’s distinguished history – of bringing Breguet timepieces to auction – and their shared passion for the art of watchmaking, the Geneva event is not just a sale but a celebration of a milestone anniversary that honours the creative genius of Breguet and his many horological inventions. As these historic watches go under the hammer in Geneva, they each hold a unique story and are ready to continue their journey as part of a living heritage, carried forward by collectors who understand not just their value but their place in history.
