Founded in Paris in 1775 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, the Maison Breguet is at the origin of some of the most fundamental innovations in watchmaking history: the tourbillon, the Breguet spiral, the "hollow apple" hands, the bumper, or the pioneering application of guilloché to watch dials from 1786 – a decorative technique that had existed for centuries in cabinetmaking, but whose functional and aesthetic qualities Breguet was the first to exploit in watchmaking, elevating it to the rank of art.
In the 1950s, the manufacture focused its efforts primarily on producing Type 20 chronographs for French military aviators. The production of dress watches was then reduced to a very small number of pieces, made to order – which gives the rare civilian examples from this period an exceptional character. Among these dress watches, the so-called "Empire" models – named for their fluted case and their aesthetic directly inherited from the pocket watches of the Abraham-Louis Breguet era – occupy a special place. Produced over several decades, from the 1950s to the 1970s, the Empires are now highly sought after by collectors. Each example, made almost entirely by hand and in extremely limited quantities, exhibits subtle variations that make each watch unique, or nearly so.
The example we are pleased to offer, number 1514, is an 18-carat yellow gold "Empire" wristwatch, 35 mm in diameter, sold on May 9, 1957, to Mr. Langlois-Berthelot for 120,000 francs, according to the Breguet Archives. It is a particularly early example of this model, which is reflected in the style of the dial.
The case features a fluted "coin edge" – this finely chiseled gadrooning around the edge is one of the brand’s most recognizable signatures, directly inherited from Abraham-Louis Breguet’s pocket watches. The slender, welded straight lugs give the watch an elegant and decidedly vintage profile on the wrist. The solid case back bears the watch’s number. The hallmarks are crisp. The domed plexiglass crystal contributes to the charm and warmth this watch exudes on the wrist.
The silver guilloché dial in the "Vieux (Old) Breguet" style is strikingly beautiful and retains all its engraved and enameled inscriptions. The diamond point/Clous de Paris pattern, executed on a guilloché lathe, covers the central part of the dial with perfect regularity. The outer chapter features Roman numerals and a beaded minute track. The small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock is distinguished by a rare configuration: unlike most Empire dials where a second ring of concentric dots surrounds the counter, our example features guilloché work that continues uninterrupted to the center of the subdial, framed simply by the numbered chapter and a clean inner circle – a more refined execution, characteristic of the earliest examples in the series and faithful to the aesthetic of the brand’s historic subscription watches. The "hollow apple" hands – or Breguet hands – in gold, designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet himself in 1783, complete a dial that embodies more than two centuries of tradition.
At the heart of this watch beats the illustrious Peseux Calibre 260 – one of the most remarkable chronometer movements of the 20th century. Produced in only around 3,300 examples between 1944 and 1967, the Cal. 260 was designed specifically for the Geneva and Neuchâtel Observatory Chronometer Competitions, the most demanding precision trials in Swiss watchmaking. Its 13-ligne caliber, its frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour, and its screw balance make it a movement of exceptional precision. Breguet, like other leading watchmakers, chose this exceptional movement to power its finest creations. The movement in our example, also numbered 1514, features a particularly refined finish with Côtes de Genève and perlage. Fully serviced by one of our experienced watchmakers, it is in perfect working order.
The watch is presented on a gold Hermès leather strap with contrasting ecru stitching – a choice that underscores the resolutely French character of this Breguet – paired with a yellow gold Breguet pin buckle, made by the workshops of Roland-Gilbert Gaschen (GRG hallmark) and imported into France before 1990 (weevil hallmark on the left in an oval frame) by Chaumet (JC hallmark with the star and crescent of Joseph Chaumet). It is accompanied by its Extract from the Breguet Archives, certified as conforming to the books of the period and signed by Emmanuel Breguet, curator of the company’s archives.
For the discerning collector, this Breguet Empire No. 1514 embodies everything that defines the grandeur of the Parisian watchmaker: a guilloché dial of rare finesse in an unusual configuration typical of the earliest examples, a fluted case faithful to tradition, a legendary concours-quality movement, and confirmation of its configuration through the Extract from the Registers. In a context where 20th-century Breguet wristwatches are increasingly sought after by discerning collectors, the opportunity to acquire such an early example in such fine condition has become truly exceptional.
