Breguet: Art and Innovation in Watchmaking
By Emmanuel Breguet and Martin Chapman
Abraham-Louis Breguet invented many of the standard components of today’s most prestigious watches, earning the title “The Father of Modern Horology.” The self-winding watch, the gong spring, the first shock-protection device, and the enameled dial—all were created by Breguet. This volume features more than seventy watches and clocks that were constructed by the Breguet company, and it contains many insights into the inner workings that made these objects so innovative and valuable.
Authors
Emmanuel Breguet is the head of archives and historical collections at Montres Breguet S.A., Paris and L’Abbaye, Switzerland. He is the seventh generation descendant of Breguet’s founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet. As a trained historian, he published a number of studies on civil and military aviation before devoting himself entirely to the work and life of his ancestor. In 1993, Emmanuel began to manage the historical Breguet house, the extensive archives stored on Place Vendôme in Paris.
Martin Chapman is curator in charge of European decorative arts and sculpture at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. His recent publications include The Salon Doré from the Hôtel de La Trémoille and Royal Treasures from the Louvre: Louis XIV to Marie-Antoinette.
