Abraham-louis Breguet

Switzerland and France, 1747 – 1823

One of the greatest horologists of all time, Abraham-louis Breguet developed a number of inventions that revolutionised watchmaking. This included the tourbillon regulator, which eliminated errors in pocket watches caused by gravity; the pare-chute, a shock protection system for watches; and gongs for repeating watches. In 1812 he created the world’s first wristwatch, for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples. In 1815, Breguet became the official chronometer-maker to the French navy and he received the Legion of Honour from Louis XVIII.